Dying is a wild night and a new road
by vampyr-eternal
Summary: Set between the 2 movies gives some answers: Why Sam and Alan become vampires why did Edgar stay human, what happened to the comic store? OC moves to Santa Carla, meets up with our fearless vampire hunters makes friends with some less savoury characters
1. Chapter 1

Dying is a wild night and a new road – Emily Dickinson

Based between the two movies, gives a few answers: How did Sam and Alan become vampires, why did Edgar stay human, what happened to the comic book store? Involves OC moving to Santa Carla, meeting up with our fearless vampire hunters and making friends with some less savoury characters...

PROLOGUE

So, Santa Carla. Boardwalks, beaches and boredom. From the dizzying heights of a penthouse flat in London, to a large, renovated farmhouse on the outskirts of Santa Carla. Quite a shock to the system. Not exactly a bad thing though, as much as I loved London, I'd been on the verge of another trek abroad when my parents had announced the move. I was a restless spirit, travelling every six months; I couldn't stand staying in the same place for longer than that. I wasn't entirely happy we'd moved to such a small city, but it could have been worse. It was somewhere new, the beach was gorgeous, and there were new things to discover. I'm sure it'll keep me entertained for at least a month. After that? Well Europe was calling anyway, maybe it was finally time to visit Scandinavia...

CHAPTER 1

_Damn sand!_ So maybe coming to the beach in trainers hadn't been the best idea in the world, but I hadn't exactly been planning on coming here. I'd decided to start exploring the local area by following the path that led from my house through the fields, never expecting to get very far. Turns out the road into town has to be at least twice as long as the paths through the fields and I'd emerged into civilisation much quicker than I'd ever have expected. After walking along the boardwalk for a few minutes, staring out at the sand, the temptation became too much and I'd jumped down onto the beach. It's been a while since I've been on a beach; I'd forgotten just how annoying sand could be. So I guess there's just one thing to do. Off with the shoes!!!

I bent down and removed my trainers and my socks, revelling in the feel of the warm sand beneath my feet. It felt so good! The last few years, my trips had consisted of cities and mountains; I'd forgotten the pure joy of sunshine on a lovely beach. I really could get used to this place.

I made my way slowly down the beach, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of Santa Carla. The atmosphere seemed so laid back, completely different from the hectic pace of London. I wanted to go for a swim but I didn't have a swimsuit with me and even with the strange attire of some of the folk on the beach, I wasn't quite ready to be swimming in my underwear. Well, there was always tomorrow. And the day after that, and the day after...

No, not yet. It was too soon for those type of thoughts. I was in a new place, I could at least enjoy the novelty for a couple of weeks before my wanderlust set in. It wasn't easy though, I knew what was coming. Two weeks here, maybe three, and it'd all set in the again. The feeling of futility, that I was wasting my life here, going nowhere. There was so much of this world yet to see, if I stayed in one place for too long a melancholy would set in that was impossible to exorcise. The only cure was to get out, start planning a new trip, save up the money, wallowing, feeling trapped, until I could set out and discover somewhere new, always searching for that one place that would satisfy me. Hell, who knows, maybe Santa Carla was it.

_Somehow I doubt it though_, I thought, watching two girls in bikinis walk by sniggering. Their anorexic bodies barely held their minuscule bikinis on and apparently my outfit of tank top and jeans did not make their grade. They did have a point though, as much as I was loathe to admit it, these jeans and trainers really weren't suited to a beach environment. I groaned in mock despair at the thought of having to shop for a new wardrobe. I was not a normal girl. I love new clothes, but the thought of walking around town, going into shop after shop, trying on endless outfits just did not interest me. Still it had to be done, and better now than putting it off until later and dreading it all the while.

Stepping off the beach I dusted off my feet and slipped my socks and trainers back on, grimacing as I did so at the instant, uncomfortable heat that encompassed my feet. Sandals, I needed sandals. I walked down the boardwalk a bit further in search of something other than arcades, tourist gift shops and bizarrely, a comic book store and soon found a road leading to a more commercial area. The rest of the morning and early afternoon was spent in a horror of trudging around shops, getting repeatedly assaulted by overeager salespeople desperate to sell me most of their stock. By the end of it I was laden down with packages and promising myself I would never, ever go clothes shopping again. From now on the Internet was my friend, as was mail order. On the plus side I'd switched my trainers for sandals, giving my feet some much needed air on the walk home. See, there's my silver lining to an otherwise horrific day of shopping.


	2. Chapter 2

"Perfect timing Freya, your mum's just putting dinner on the table." my dad greeted me as I walked through the door. "And it looks like you'll need it." He added, seeing the multitude of carrier bags and packages my arms held. "Just dump them by the door, you can sort them out after you've eaten."

My grimace at the thought of having to complete the hell of shopping by unpacking my purchases and putting them away, disappeared at his words. It was soon replaced by a grin as I caught the aroma of my mothers cooking. After dropping my shopping and giving my dad a quick hug for allowing the mess, temporary as it may be, I walked into the dining room to see my mum dishing out the meal. I couldn't help but laugh as I took my place at the table.

"Don't say it." My mum warned, but I could see the smile tugging at the sides of her mouth.

"Oh come on, we're over 5000 miles from London, I'm 23 years old and yet you still make me bangers and mash."

A grin was covering my face but my mum still managed to keep her face straight as she answered. Well almost.

"You may be 23 but this has been your favourite meal since you were 5. Plus I thought you might be getting home sick."

I couldn't help but laugh once again.

"Mum we've been here two days, how could I be home sick already?"

The smile she'd been holding back disappeared at my words and I instantly felt guilty. I knew what was coming.

"Freya I worry is all. You didn't want to come here. As much as you've travelled before, London was always your home. Me and your father feel bad for dragging you away from that."

"And I told you not to. Mum you know what I'm like, I'll be no more unhappy here than if I was in London." I paused before continuing. "That came out wrong, but you know what I meant. I get restless and I travel, them I'm fine for a while. I don't have a home in the sense of a specific location. All I need is you, Dad and some bangers and mash and that's home enough for me."

I watched the smile creep back onto my mothers face but I knew she still felt guilty. Her and Dad had always planned to move to the coast once they retired, but when his company had opened a branch in California and offered him the chance to move here, well there hadn't been much stopping them. Except me of course. They'd never understood my wanderlust, probably never would. Part of them thought the move would do me good, maybe cure me of my 'obsession', but another part of them, the insane, irrational part, thought it'd only make me worse. Only time would tell. For now I was happy, we were unpacked, I'd done all the shopping I needed to do for at least a couple of months, now all I had to do was enjoy my time here. Possibly get a job, but that could wait a while, exploration of my new environment was the immediate need. Actually my immediate need was food, I hadn't eaten since breakfast. As if on cue my stomach rumbled and my mum laughed before telling me to dig in. I'd meant what I had said. Give me my parents and some good English food and I really was home.

A/N This is a bit of a short one, so I thought I'd give you two chapters at once. Please do give feedback, even if it's negative, as long as it's constructive, it all helps my writing. And the good ones just make me happy!


	3. Chapter 3

I was kept busy most of the next day with jobs around the house, the first being to sort out my purchases from the previous day, somehow I'd never managed to get around it after dinner. After that there was cleaning, rearranging furniture, deciding which parts of the house needed redecorating, cooking a rather elaborate late lunch in order to avoid painting the living room before finally putting my brand new bikini on underneath my clothes, throwing my towel in my bag and heading down to the beach.

It was mid afternoon by the time I stepped onto the sand, but the sun was still brilliantly hot, and the water looked incredibly inviting. Within minutes I was down to just my bikini and running down the beach. For an hour I lost myself in the simple pleasure of swimming in the gorgeously warm water. It made me wonder why I hadn't been to a beach in so long. I smiled cynically at the thought. I knew why, I couldn't kid myself. The problem was that most beaches were basically the same; sun, sea, sand and annoying tourists. After a while I'd been bored by it, too many other places to see. The break had done me good, it made today all the more special.

Eventually I could neither swim nor even tread water any longer and I went back to the beach, spread out my towel and lay down for a while. I wasn't exactly an avid sunbather, but after a while in the water it was good to rest. Apparently the world thought differently.

I'd been laying there less than a minute when I was showered with rather cold water followed by a wet dog jumping over me and seconds later someone tripped over my bag and ended up sprawled across my stomach. It's safe to say I was not impressed with this turn of events. Opening my eyes I lifted my sunglasses to peer at the boy who was hurriedly trying to pick himself up. Well okay so boy wasn't exactly a fair description, but I wouldn't have put him any older than me. He was cute, short blonde hair, bit of a baby face, clearly spent far too much money on clothes, but still, cute.

By this point he'd managed to pull himself to his feet and was shouting for his dog to return. It seemed a bit of a pointless exercise, in my experience, dogs that went running down the beach at full speed, jumping over anything in their path, didn't usually just turn around and head back to their owner if their name was called. So it was quite a surprise to suddenly find said dog dripping water over me once again. The guy reached down and slipped a lead over the dog's head before dragging it around me to stand next to him. It was only then he actually looked at me to apologise.

"Not a problem." I replied. "Obedient dog you've got there."

"Usually he is."

I couldn't help but laugh slightly at the angry look on his face. Sitting up I began to stroke the dog, then remembered it was dripping wet and gave up. I'm not a big enough fan of dogs to put up with that 'wet dog' smell for the rest of the day. Which meant I'd have to have a shower pretty soon.

"So why was he doing the hurdles down the beach then?" I asked, indicating the boy should sit next to me. I really had to stop thinking of him as a boy.

"Stupid mutt decided it'd be a good idea to dive into the sea. When I eventually got him out and tried to hose him off he split."

"Why were you trying to hose him off?" I said, still more than a little amused at his frustration with the dog who was happily sitting, panting away, completely obvious to his owners anger.

"You've never had a dog have you?" He replied, looking at me like I'd just asked the stupidest question.

"Can't say I was ever that much of a dog person."

"Huh, you don't say. Well, salt water and his hair are not a good combination. You get pretty much the same result you're gonna get with your hair if you don't wash the salt out soon."

"You've got a point there." I said, raising a hand to my hair, which was already going stiff with the drying salt under this intense sun. Trying to comb it out was not going to be pleasant. "So I'm guessing you're local right."

"Yeah, moved here with my family years ago."

"In that case you can make up for me being covered in sand and water by your dog and then being crushed by you by telling me if there are any showers nearby."

I actually caught a flicker of a smile on his face at this. Seems he didn't stay mad with his dog for long.

"Just up the beach." He said, indicating in the direction away from where I came onto the beach.

"Thanks. I'm Freya by the way."

"Sam."

"Well nice to meet you, Sam." I said, standing and packing up my things, intending on grabbing a shower before my hair truly started to complain. Like I said, it's a while since I've been on a beach. Sam however didn't seem to want me to leave so soon.

"So where you from then? Gotta be far with that accent."

"London."

"Huh, wouldn't have pegged you as British."

I laughed in response, sitting back down as I realised he wanted a proper conversation.

"Well not all of us English folk are so inclined to speak with a proper Upper Class British accent I'll have you know." I said, doing my best impression of said accent. This time he smiled properly. "Plus I travel a lot, and I have this annoying habit of picking up accents. Give me a week here and you won't know the difference."

"So you're planning on sticking around a while?" Sam asked, his face darkening at his words. It wasn't a pleasant sight.

"Certainly looks like it. My parents are in the 'permanent' phase anyway, who knows though."

"Just make sure you're careful okay?"

"Careful?" I asked. What happened to the smiling boy of minutes before? Now his forehead was creased into a major frown and he was actually creeping me out a little.

"Yeah, this town isn't... safe." Okay, so the shifty eyes, looking around in suspicion thing took it a little too far. I laughed before grabbing my stuff and standing up again. The last thing I needed in my shiny new life was a paranoid schizophrenic.

"Well thanks for the warning Sam, but I just moved from London, what on earth could possibly exist in Santa Carla that's more dangerous than back home."

And with that I went off in search of the showers. My happy mood of the day was gone though, I'd really thought I was on my way to finding a friend, but I guess I was wrong. Ah well, it was only day three, who knows how things will turn out in the end.


	4. Chapter 4

After my shower I went back to trying to relax on the beach, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Sam. He'd gone from angry to happy to scary in such a short time it was hard to keep up. It was worrying too, the angry to happy I could deal with, but his final mood change had really affected me. Just what was it he was trying to warn me about? So thanks to Sam's dog, and then his strange warning, relaxing was clearly out of the picture for today. Giving it up as a bad job, I gathered my things and walked back home, enjoying the last of the sun as I did so. I wasn't home for long though, my parents had decided the living room was entirely wrong and needed completely rearranging. Not my idea of fun. So after grabbing a quick bite to eat I snatched up the car keys and head back into town.

The road really did go a ridiculous route to get back to town, but parking was easy at least, apparently most people lived within walking distance. So, the boardwalk at night. It was... different. I wandered around the shops that were still open, much more relaxed now that I was simply browsing for fun instead of having things I needed to buy. I spotted Sam in the comic book store I'd noticed earlier, talking to two other men. The thought of wandering in and saying hi flitted through my head, followed quickly by the more compelling decision to keep walking. I wasn't ready for another whiplash mood change just yet.

Pretty soon I came upon an open-air gig venue and was pleased to find a local power metal band playing. My pleasure lasted a whole five seconds until the vocalist began singing. Some people just shouldn't be allowed near a microphone, which was a shame because the guitarist had some serious talent.

Never one to hang around when potentially good music was being butchered, I was soon heading off towards the fairground to have a look around. This amused me for all of ten minutes. When you've been on some of the biggest roller coasters in the world, a local fairground can seem a little dull. As I was pondering whether it was worth the money to go on the roller coaster, a voice spoke in my ear.

"You're not a thrill seeker then?"

I refused to give them the courtesy of looking at him, after he'd made me half jump out of my skin. So I replied whilst still watching the carriage roll leisurely around the track ahead of me.

"On the contrary, who doesn't love a good thrill? I'm just trying to decide if there's any way I could possibly get a thrill off that ride without removing the brakes or destroying part of the track."

The small chuckle from behind me raised my curiosity enough to turn and look at who had spoken. Not usually a fan of blondes, I was pleasantly surprised by the man I was facing. Shoulder length sun-bleached hair, leather trousers, just over six foot tall, bare arms of the toned but not vain variety, all combined to be rather more thrilling than the roller coaster that was now firmly off the agenda.

"Well I have to agree, it's not much to look at… It's even less when you're on it." His smile was entirely too disarming. "I'm Marcus."

"I'm Freya." I said, throwing caution to the wind

"Ah Freya, Goddess of Beauty." He replied in a stance of mock worship.

"And love." I taunted back.

"And has a certain link with necklace's, I believe." He said, a grin splitting his face.

"I hate that bloody necklace." I groaned in reply, eliciting a laugh from Marcus.

"Necklace? You wearing jewellery again Marcus?" I voice spoke from behind me. "I've told you about that before, it pushes the sensitive guy thing too far, women just don't go for it." A guy with dark hair and even darker eyes appeared from behind me, wearing a leather coat that looked too much like an original 80's rocker's jacket. He was clearly enjoying having a reason to mock Marcus.

"He's right you know." Another voice, this one had long, straight blonde hair, blue eyes and was far too attractive for his own good. "When it gets to the point of wearing necklaces, you just look gay."

"This coming from the guy wearing make up." Marcus retorted in an effort to restore ground.

"Hey man, the chicks love eyeliner, what can I say?" Blondie replied confidently, clearly highly amused by the situation. He had a point; there was something incredibly sexual about a guy in eyeliner. Or maybe that was just this particular one. He caught my eye in a way neither Marcus nor the dark haired one had. Marcus seemed to realise he'd lost me momentarily and began clicking his fingers in front of my face. Blushing slightly as I realised I'd been staring at blondie I turned back to Marcus, who was by now scowling at the aforementioned in a clear attempt at intimidation.

"Do you have to do that to every girl I meet? One day I'm gonna take those eyes out while you sleep, lets see how much the chicks love you then."

Blondie grinned once more before replying. "Hell then I'd just get the sympathy vote. Either way you lose bud."

He jumped out of the way just in time, dragging me with him as Marcus reached out to punch him. So now I was stood chest to chest with blondie, his arms around the small of my back, looking down at me as I looked up at him. It was a slightly disquieting position. This close, his eyes truly were mesmerising, the blue of a clear Mediterranean ocean with a slight touch of green at the centre. His blonde hair was clearly natural and reminded me slightly of an elf it was that sleek. As for his chest, even with both my clothes and his separating us, I was taken over by the desire to stroke it slightly.

At this point I realised I was staring, and Marcus appeared to have had enough. I felt a rough jolt as he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of blondie's grasp, and although I felt initial disappointment, I was secretly glad. That boy really was too handsome for his own good. Or mine.

Recovering quickly I began to ask who blondie and the dark haired guy who'd remained quietly watching the previous exchange in amusement, were, but I was cut off by Marcus predicting that exact question.

"So the 80's rock reject over there is Dani," He said, indicating the dark haired one who had originally interrupted us. Having a closer look now I realised he did indeed look like he belonged in a previous decade, torn jeans with a red bandanna stuffed in the back pocket. Battered Guns 'n' Roses t-shirt under the leather jacket I'd noticed before. A skull earring dangling from one ear and I wouldn't have been surprised to find out he was wearing eye make up too, and possibly contact lenses, his eyes seemed almost black they were that dark.

"And the make up wearing girl would be Jari."

"Well that would explain the hair." I said, looking back at blondie. There was a moment of confusion before I continued. "Your name, it's Finnish right?"

"Yeah, how'd you know that?" He asked looking impressed, all the teasing gone from his voice.

"I have a slight obsession with Finnish metal bands. So certain Finnish names are familiar to me, and I have noticed a trend towards blonde elfish hair amongst some of the males."

The cheeky grin returned once more, Jari clearly approved of being compared to an elf. Dani appeared to not be so impressed.

"Oh come on, another Finnish metal fan? I swear Marcus if you bring this chick in and she starts playing Viking metal or whatever the hell it is, I'm out."

I would have been offended, but his voice was too jovial for that.

"I said I had a slight obsession, not that that was my entire music taste. Put on some Alice Cooper and it'll get a smile on my face any day."

"Now that's my kinda girl." Dani replied, grabbing my hands and pulling me into an elaborate waltz for some incomprehensible reason. I couldn't help but laugh at the completely carefree way these boys behaved. I laughed even harder when I glanced over my shoulder to see Marcus shrug and pull Jari into a matching waltz.

It wasn't long before our strange antics began attracting attention from passers by and Marcus decided it was time to move out.

"So you guys come along, take the piss out of my name, take the piss out of my music taste and mesmerise the hell out of me," I said, looking at Marcus, Dani and Jari in turn as I spoke. "And then you just run off and leave me all alone in a strange town with no friends."

I could be quite good at sulking when I wanted to, and could usually keep a straight face for about fifteen seconds before I lost it and started grinning. Luckily my pout was very effective and within seconds Jari had his arm leisurely draped over my shoulders, leading down the boardwalk whilst assuring me they'd had every intention of taking me with them from the start. Somehow I didn't doubt the truth of his words, but my pouting had gained his arm around me and I certainly wasn't going to complain about that.

A short walk down the boardwalk we came upon three motorbikes casually leaned against a railing. I was surprised to see they weren't chained up, but something told me these boys had something of a reputation and that they didn't need chains to keep their possessions safe. It was times like this I was glad my parents didn't have much interest in what I got up to when I wasn't around, it would have given them a heart attack to see my new found friends.

As Jari steered me towards one of the bikes I felt a frisson of emotion, but I couldn't decide whether it was fear or anticipation, perhaps it was both. Either way when he jumped on the bike and indicated I should get on behind him I only hesitated long enough to glance at Marcus and see if he was okay with this. He smiled in a resigned sort of way and indicated I should climb aboard, before he got onto his own bike. Clearly he was used to Jari stealing his women. The thought gave me pause as to how many women Jari had had, but before I could indulge in that kind of thinking I was already climbing on behind him and wrapping my arms tightly around his waist, once again feeling that jolt of indefinable emotion.

**A\N For those not familiar with Norse mythology, Freya was the Goddess of Love and Beauty. With regards to the necklace, there are many different versions of the story, but they all revolve around Freya coming across some dwarves who had just made a stunningly beautiful 'necklace of desire'. Freya offered them gold for it but the dwarves refused, saying it could only be bought from them if she spent one night with each of them in their beds. When Freya left, she was wearing the necklace. **

**Also, for anyone unfamiliar with Scandinavian languages, J's are pronounced as Y's, so Jari is pronounced Yari. **


	5. Chapter 5

"Why do I get the feeling you don't bring women back here very often?" I asked, laughing.

Their 'lair' looked to me more like a cave. In fact I'd go one step further, it _was_ a cave. The mad ride on the bikes had ended on the beach, or above it at least. After helping me off the back of his bike Jari had led me to the end of a cliff before winking at me and then climbing down over the edge into the mist below at breakneck speed. My first instinct had definitely not been to follow him, but short of stealing his bike I had no other way to get home and I really didn't fancy waiting on a cliff top until he decided to reappear.

I'd shot a look back at Marcus and Dani to see their reactions. Dani simply grinned before running past me and scooting down the cliff just as fast as Jari had. Their carefree nature was now worrying the hell out of me, but I didn't hear any screams so I assumed they'd survived the descent.

That left me alone on the top of a cliff with Marcus. He had a curious look on his face, no doubt wondering whether I'd follow the madness or not. As I looked at him he raised an eyebrow questioningly and gestured towards the cliff. It was all the encouragement I needed. My wanderlust had often crossed over into thrill seeking in the past, this was just another new experience, with the added thrill of fear. I walked towards the cliff edge and lowered myself over, confident that my hours at the gym would hold me in good stead despite the fact that I had no idea how high the cliff was due to the mist that was obscuring anything more than a few meters down. In the end, the cliff seemed to be only about six meters high, but it was difficult to judge. Congratulating me on my 'bravery' Jari threw his arm back over my shoulder and led me down the beach, the two others following behind once Marcus reached the bottom of the cliff. The cave entrance was only a little way down the beach, hidden in the darkness. It wasn't exactly inviting, a jagged corridor only two or three feet wide, dark, damp, and with a slightly fetid smell about it. My original suspicion that Jari was a ladies man were almost laid to rest by the entrance itself.

"Now why would you say that girl? Don't tell me you're the pampered type." Jari replied in mock horror.

"Not so much the pampered type as the type who like their places dry, light and fragrant." I said, still slightly unsure about entering the cave.

"If it's fragrant you're after then definitely stay away from Marcus." Dani said, strolling past me towards the entrance of the cave. "Dry and light we can provide though." He was stood leaning against the opening now, gesturing for me to enter. "Hell we can even push to warm if it helps."

"Intelligent conversation may be lacking slightly though." Marcus said, moving past Dani into the cave, cuffing him around the head as he did so before running off into the darkness, Dani hot on his heels for revenge.

"So," Jari began. "Will you follow this motley bunch into the shadows, forsaking the light for all the joys that are offered?" His expression spoke more than his words and I felt my heart speed up in response. This boy was addictive and the dangers of that addiction increased with every moment I spent with him. Yet as he backed slowly into the cave, never once taking his eyes off mine, I felt my feet move of their own volition. Dangerous or not, this was one ride I wasn't getting off any time soon…

The cave turned out to be a long tunnel, going deep into the cliff and sloping downwards slightly. It was pitch black inside and I had to keep a constant hold onto Jari's arm to keep myself upright. He, on the other hand, never faltered in his step, despite not being able to see the ground at our feet let alone in front of us. I spent the whole journey expecting the ground to suddenly run out, but there was no real fear, only the exhilaration of discovery.

It's amazing how easy it is to lose track of time when you're stumbling along in the darkness, but eventually I realised I could make out vague shapes in the darkness, and then finally I glimpsed light ahead. Not natural light, not sunlight, but it was bright nonetheless. Jari stopped just before the end of the tunnel and faced me. The light was coming from the side just in front of us, clearly the boys 'lair' was just around the corner. Marcus and Dani were nowhere in sight. As Jari looked at me he had an amused glint in his eye.

"And now sweet lady, after your perilous journey into the depths, we have reached our destination. It is a hovel, unworthy of your presence, lacking the grandeur you so ardently deserve. I beg of you that you indulge this poor man and provide us with your presence in…"

The rest of his mock grovelling speech was cut off as Marcus and Dani appeared behind him, clearly fed up of his theatrics, grabbed a hand of mine each and propelled me around the corner. Of all the things I could have expected, the sight that met my eyes was not one of them. The tunnel became an enormous cavern, lit by many lamps strewn around the place and a giant chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The floor was covered with mismatched rugs and throws, and a couch and four armchairs were placed in a circle in the centre of the cavern. There was a small round table in the middle of the seats upon which was empty beer and spirits bottles. As I glanced around the room I saw two double beds pushed together in a corner creating a rather sumptuous, oversized bed. The biggest TV I'd ever seen in my life sat facing it, and the floor around it was strewn with DVDs and games to go with the multiple games consoles that were underneath the TV.

The place was stunning. A complete shock to the senses after the dark, lifeless tunnel. It was warm in the cavern too, a large fire near one wall easily heating the huge space. I stood in shock for a few seconds before Jari threw me onto one of the couches, sat down next to me and threw his arm around my shoulders.

"See, and you said I didn't know how to treat a lady." He said, cockily.

"That's not exactly comforting you know." I replied, although I was unable to resist smiling back at him.

"Girl you wound me." He placed his hand over his heart, screwing up his face in mock pain. "Only the most special of girls are brought to our retreat."

"And just how many girls have been special?" I threw back with more than a little sarcasm.

"Well to tell you the truth, you're the first." He said, his face, for once, completely serious.

For a second I was tempted to believe him. A very dangerous second indeed. His voice and face oozed sincerity, it would be so easy to fall under his spell.

"First this week maybe." Dani said from across the room, throwing a basketball at Jari and hitting him in the face. Jari moved so fast I barely saw him, only registering Dani knocked off his feet as the basketball smacked him in the chest. It was an impressive move, but there was something unsettling about it.

"So milady" Marcus began, sauntering over as Jari launched himself off the couch and began a furious game of basketball with Dani. "What can I tempt you with tonight? We have beer, ale, mead, vodka, whiskey and wine."

"Quite a selection." I replied, though not truly impressed. That is until he opened a cabinet attached to the opposite wall to reveal a collection of alcohol that dwarfed even my own parents' stores. Not only were there more drinks there than Marcus had mentioned, but they weren't the cheap own brand stuff. Glenmorangie whiskey, Courvoisier XO Imperial Cognac, Finlandia vodka, exotic beers, ales and mead from around the world, I even spotted a bottle that looked rather a lot like Dom Perignon .

"Vodka please."

"Mixer?" He asked, grabbing the bottle of Finlandia and pouring a rather large shot into a glass.

"Neat."

He raised an eyebrow at this, but simply doubled the amount of alcohol in the glass before throwing the bottle across the room to Jari who caught it easily. A bottle of Jack Daniels soon followed on its way to Dani and Marcus took a bottle of Mead for himself before bringing me my drink and sitting down in one of the chairs opposite. I sipped at the vodka as Jari sat down next to me and Dani took one of the other free chairs. As a rule I didn't drink much, getting inebriated whilst travelling or in the company of complete strangers was never a good idea. So what made me get drunk that night? Honestly, I can't answer that.

There were times when I forgot I was drinking, I'd look down at my glass and it was almost empty. Marcus was giving me constant refills, periodically changing the type of drink, and I'd get so distracted by the banter going on around me I'd forget it was alcohol I was drinking. I don't remember much after the first couple of hours, although I do remember laughing, a lot. The boys were so easy to be around, they were constantly moving, like they had far too much energy and it needed using up. Jari spent his time drifting between sitting next to me with his arm around my shoulder, to fighting with Dani over what music to play, who was better at basketball/surfing/Doom; you name it, they fought over it. It was all in jest of course, the boys were clearly close, but the childish male rivalry was a constant theme of the evening.

Marcus, however, was quiet, he'd talk, but not as much as the other two, in fact most of his talking was done whilst Dani and Jari were horsing about with each other. There was a strange calmness to Marcus' nature that I hadn't noticed earlier, an authority to him that was appealing. When Dani and Jari got into a proper fight, a single word from Marcus was enough to stop them. There was clearly an easy dynamic to the group and I found myself fitting in more quickly than I could ever have expected. So from what I remember, it was a great night. Of course the next morning, as you can probably expect, was less fun.


	6. Chapter 6

Sunlight was not my friend. This was a fact I'd known a few times in the past, but never so much as right now. My trip to Scandinavia was indefinitely postponed. I'm not sure I could take this sort of hangover regularly if the vodka over there was so easy to drink.

Groaning I opened one eye and peered at the clock. 1pm. How could it possibly be 1pm, I swear I'd only been asleep an hour. Reason 2 not to go to Scandinavia, apparently I'd spend most of my day in bed.

I tried to get myself up, honestly I did, but gravity had apparently increased while I slept and the most I could do was roll over. It was another half an hour before I eventually dragged myself out of bed and into the shower. Modern miracles showers are, along with the large fried breakfast my mother placed on the table in front of me when I eventually made it downstairs. Of course there was a large portion of disapproval that went with it, but she trusted me, and there was also the guilt factor of her dragging me to a new country. I wondered how long that was going to last...

By the time I'd finished the breakfast I felt almost human again, but other than sorting out the last few bits around the house, I didn't do much that day. I decided to spend the evening in with my parents and truly recover.

The next day I slept in again, which really was strange, I never slept past ten on a normal day. Then again I had suffered a monumental hangover, and recently moved continents. Maybe this was just jetlag setting in late, I usually didn't suffer much from it, but who knows, maybe I was getting old. Such a depressing thought. To banish it I grabbed my bikini, my towels and my sunglasses and head off down to the beach again.

As before I spent an hour in the water, before showering and lying down to enjoy the sun. I was tired from the swimming and if I closed my eyes, it was just because I was unused to the bright sun. The falling asleep I really can't explain though. Thankfully half an hour later I was accosted by a dog who decided my face needed washing with his tongue and I was awake in a second. The dog was hauled away at the same moment I began to push it away from me, and I looked up to see Sam standing over me once more, holding back his dog.

"Your dog really doesn't like me sunbathing does he?" I said, indicating Sam should sit next to me.

"He just doesn't want you to get cancer." Sam replied, grinning as he sat down.

"So kind." I groaning, laying back down, closing my eyes against the glare of the sun.

"I wouldn't have pegged you for the sunbathing type anyway."

"Well you don't know me do you." I winced just after I said the words. "I'm sorry Sam, I didn't mean to have a go at you."

"And yet you're doing a damn good impression of it." I could hear the joking in his voice. "So what's up, hung-over?"

"It's that obvious?" I said, turning over to look at him.

"You're pale, you're grumpy, you're tired. I simply came to the obvious conclusion."

"I'm pale because I just moved here from England, and I'm grumpy and tired for the same reason. Jet-lag's bitch."

"All true. Well except for the pale bit, actually your skin is beginning to turn a lovely shade of pink. Anyway, the paleness is that sickly, I drank more than my body weight in alcohol last night, kind of way."

"I ever mention I don't like you?" I shot back, but the anger was gone. Despite his annoying dog, I did like Sam, he made me happy. "Anyway the hangover was yesterday, but I guess you're right, excessive amounts of alcohol is never a good idea."

"So, you intending on spending the whole day frying on the beach?"

"Not likely. You were right, I'm not the sunbathing type, I was just tired from the swimming and the hangover. But I'm thoroughly awake now and you're the seasoned local, so show me the sights of Santa Carla."

"If you're gonna treat me like a tour guide, I'm gonna charge you."

"Your dog keeps disturbing me and I'm gonna sue you for harassment."

"In which case we're even, so get dressed and let's get going." He said, standing up and brushing the sand off his trousers.

Laughing I grabbed my clothes from my bag and started putting them on over my bikini.

"You're telling me this isn't a good outfit for exploring in?"

"Only if you want me to have to defend your honour every ten seconds." He replied, picking up my bag to carry it now I was dressed and the towels were packed away.

"Such a gentleman." I said, laughing at the mock bow he gave me. "But why do I get the feeling you're only defending my honour from others so you can take it yourself?"

"I'm hurt." Sam shot back, feigning pain in the heart. "I have only your best interests at heart."

"You're lucky I'm a trusting fool, anyone else would call you a liar. So Mr tour guide, where to?"

He held his arm out for me to slip my hand through and led me up towards the boardwalk, smiling as he did so. The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering here and there, seeing the oh-so-interesting sights of Santa Carla. Can you sense the sarcasm there? Other than the beach and the boardwalk, there really weren't many more sights. Behind that front it was like any other run down small town. Still, it was a pleasant enough afternoon. Sam spent most of it talking, his strange mood of the other day gone. He told me how he, his brother and his mother had moved in with his Grandpa after his parents had divorced. His mother was still around but his grandpa had died a couple of years ago and his brother had married and moved away not long after. I could see the sadness in his eyes as he spoke of it being just him and his mum now, it had to be lonely.

Just before sunset we ended up on the boardwalk again and he took me to the comic book store I'd seen him in the other day to meet his friends. As we walked through the door the two guys behind the counter looked up with open hostility. Their stiff postures relaxed when they saw Sam, but the looks they gave me were less than friendly.

"Guys, meet Freya. Freya, this is Edgar and Alan Frog."

"Nice to meet you." It amused me to respond to their hostility with perfect politeness. The taller of the two, Alan, seemed momentarily shaken by it, but he regained his composure seconds later, his face reverting to what looked to be a permanent frown. Edgar's facial expression never so much as twitched, and though his question was aimed at Sam, he never took his eyes off me.

"New recruit?"

"No, she just moved here." Sam answered.

"New recruit for what?" I asked, confused but refusing to lose the staring contest I was now having with Edgar. Clearly he was used to intimidating people, although how he managed that I have no idea. His entire appearance seemed almost comical. His clothes, though clearly shop bought, were mostly camo or a dull green. The bandanna around his head looked entirely out of place and his whole posture just screamed 'I take life far too seriously'. Somehow I knew we weren't going to be best friends.

"Never mind." Edgar answered me. "Do you read comic books?"

I let a small laugh escape my lips before I realised he was deadly serious.

"No Edgar, I don't read comic books."

"You should." He shot back, picking up a comic off the counter and throwing it at me. "Full of useful information comic books, you could learn a thing or two."

"What like which type of Kryptonite does what to Superman?" See, there's that sarcasm again. "I don't think so." I looked down at the comic he'd thrown me and laughed once more before throwing it back at him. "Just what am I supposed to learn from 'Vampires Everywhere'?"

"You never know, it could save your life."

"Oh come on, first Sam now you, what is this, scare the new girl?" So now I was getting annoyed.

"Ignore him, he's a little over the top, but take the comic anyway." Sam interrupted. "It's free and it'll shut Edgar up so you can actually get to know him. He's not that bad really."

I could see from the look on Edgar's face he didn't appreciate Sam's estimation of him, but he did lighten up after that. The conversation mostly consisted of me answering a million different questions about my life, with Sam making jokes throughout. Alan for the most part kept quiet, seemingly satisfied to just spectate.

About an hour later Sam offered to show me the fun parts of the boardwalk after dark so we bid goodbye to the Frog brothers and head out.

We hadn't gone ten feet when a hand grabbed my wrist and spun me around. Momentarily dizzy, it took me a few seconds to recognise the hypnotic blue eyes I was now staring into.

"Jari there are easier ways of getting my attention." I said to him as he placed his arms over my shoulders pulling me closer to him.

"Yeah but this was more fun." He replied before kissing me.

It was intoxicating, affecting me in ways that a simple kiss just should not be able to. For a second I forgot everything except the feel on his skin on mine. Until Sam decided to bring me back to reality that is. There were times I seriously disliked that boy.

"Now how come I didn't get that kind of hello?"

"Because you made your presence known by having your dog lick my face, not exactly a romance inducing move." I retorted after reluctantly pulling away from Jari.

Looking around I spotted Marcus and Dani stood behind Jari. Dani gave me huge grin and childish wave whilst Marcus just rolled his eyes theatrically. I smiled in response before introducing everyone.

"You guys new here too?" Sam asked. "Can't say I've seen you around before."

"We've been here a few months" Jari replied smoothly, a touch of hostility in his voice despite his nonchalant words.

"Oh yeah, where you from?" And now there was hostility in Sam's voice too. Great.

"Finland."

"Greece."

"Yorkshire."

Jari, Marcus and Dani replied almost simultaneously.

"So how did you guys meet?"

"Well, these two met on an on-line dating website." Dani put in. "Things were going great but the relationship just didn't work out. Marcus caught Jari looking at another guy one night and they got into a bit of a fight outside a bar, I happened to be walking down the street at the time and intervened and we've all been great friends since."

The smile on his face was so genuine I'm not surprised Sam looked tempted to believe him for a second. I couldn't help but laugh at his story and then decided to intervene before this became a full on pissing contest between Sam and the boys.

"Leave off him Dani, Sam's a friend."

"And here Jari's getting all possessive because he thinks you've found a new guy already." Marcus' tone was mocking, but from the way Jari held his arm around my shoulders, pulling me towards him slightly, I could see there was some truth in the matter.

"Well Jari should learn to be less paranoid, Sam's just a friend."

Sam's forehead creased into a frown at my words and I wondered if I'd read the situation wrong. The last thing I wanted was to hurt one of my new friends, especially since I was only just getting to know him and he seemed like a nice guy. I didn't have a chance to address the issue though as Jari spoke then, and the hostility in his voice was clear now.

"So where were you last night?"

"At home, dying. Seriously what strength was that bloody vodka? I've never been that hung-over in my life!"

At a laugh from Jari the tension in the air was suddenly diffused.

"The Finns like their drinks strong and you were drinking that vodka neat."

"Ach I remember." I said, groaning in remembrance of the pain of the hangover. "Never let me do that again. And how the hell did I get back up that cliff?"

"You didn't." Marcus answered, his smile gone. "We had to carry you the three mile journey down the beach and back up along the top of the cliff. Luckily we also have a car up there or Jari would have gone ahead with his interesting plan of tying you to the back of his bike and you'd have no doubt ended up in a much worse state come the morning."

I groaned once again, but in embarrassment this time. "I'm really sorry about that Marcus. I mean it, never let me do that again."

"You apologise to him? He was up that cliff in seconds, it was me and Jari who actually did all the carrying."

"Then Dani I apologise to you and Jari as well."

"Hey, I never said it wasn't fun."

The wink that went with his comment only increased my embarrassment.

"Well I guess your nights are a lot more interesting than your days." Sam stuck in, the frown still evident on his face. "You decide you need a tour guide again you come find me okay."

With that, he turned to leave.

"Hey, don't go." I said, breaking out of Jari's grasp and running over to him.

"No it's cool. I've got to go discuss something with Edgar and Alan anyway, but like I said, you need me I'll be at the store."

I felt bad watching him go, but I wasn't really sure why. Somehow I'd upset him, or angered him, I'll be damned if I knew how though, and Jari wasn't about to let me dwell on it.

"So you up for another drinking session tonight then?"

"What part of 'never let me do that again' got you all confused?"

"The part where I'm somehow in charge of your drinking habits and yet I'm not letting you drink. That kind of logic makes no sense to me." Jari replied, with a grin that said so much more than his words. I felt a frisson of fear shoot through me. It would be far too easy to fall in love with him, far too easy to go along with his care free way and believe he felt the same way. I'd been hurt in the past, I wasn't going to let this happen. So how did I end up back at their cave? I'm blaming the motorbikes, there's something about the feeling of being on the back of a bike that I just can't resist. Honestly, it was just the bikes.

I did, however, manage to resist the vodka, that was one hangover I was most definitely not reliving!

**A/N Thank you all for reading, I hope you're enjoying it! Please leave me a review and let me know what you think, even if it's criticism, reviews in the past have helped me improve my writing so please do keep them coming!**


	7. Chapter 7

2pm? You've got to be kidding me. I know I didn't get to bed until dawn but this was getting ridiculous! Well at least I didn't have a hangover today, I'm not sure I could have dealt with sleeping half the day _and _feeling like death warmed up. Saying that I didn't feel too good as it was. Not ill so much as just drained. That's it, early night tonight.

The look I got from my mother when I walked into the kitchen was more than just disapproval, it was worry.

"You okay?" She asked as I set about making an omelette.

"I'm dying." I said, letting out an exaggerated groan at the same time.

Of course sarcasm and mothers are not a good mix, she sauntered over to check my temperature and give me a good looking over, trying to find the source of my mysterious illness.

"You don't look too good."

"I think it's just the jetlag and my strange sleeping habits catching up with me. I'll get some decent sleep tonight and see how I go."

"Hmm." She wasn't convinced. "Well if you're not feeling better tomorrow you better go see a doctor."

"I'll be fine mum." I replied, smiling at her over-active concern and sitting down to eat my omelette, though I didn't really want it.

As I ate my mum busied herself around the kitchen, cleaning up the mess my 'cooking' had made and generally doing chores. After I'd finished eating I washed my plate before grabbing my bag and saying goodbye.

"You're going out?"

"Yeah I arranged to meet Sam and the Frog brothers."

"The who?" The shocked look on her face was almost comical.

"Just some locals, nice guys, they run the comic book store on the boardwalk. I met them through Sam. Anyway I gotta go."

"I thought you were dying."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Only when it gets me sympathy mum, not when it stops me having fun."

"You're really liking it here aren't you?" I could hear the relief in her voice. The guilt practically punched me in the stomach.

"Yeah I am, for now." I could see the strain it took for her to keep the smile on her face. "Right now this is like a vacation, it's somewhere new, different, I'm happy. But I don't know whether it's going to last." I felt bad just saying it. When I went travelling I could disappear for months at a time, my parents missed me terribly, just as I missed them, but it was something I had to do. I knew my mother had been relieved when we'd moved, hoping maybe I'd stick around for a while now, but I couldn't promise anything, who knew what the future held.

"Mum, keep smiling. Right now I'm happy and content and not going anywhere. Plus I need to get myself a job and save up enough to go travelling, so you're safe for a couple of months."

"Freya you know full well all you've got to do is ask and we'll fund your trips."

"And you know full well I never will." The smiles were back, this was a conversation we'd had many times before, it wasn't even serious anymore. "You paid for the best education for me that money could buy and I haven't stuck around in a job long enough to use it yet. I've got a trust fund I'll never be able to spend if I live to be two hundred, but I won't touch that and I'm certainly not going to take more money. If I'm going to spend my life travelling, never settling into any kind of career, living the life of fun, then the least I should do is fund it myself. Most people get one proper holiday a year, I once spent an entire year just on the East Coast of America, but I paid for it myself so I've paid my dues. It's my way of balancing my conscience."

She couldn't resist the grin I gave her after my speech, so I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek goodbye before running out the door, revelling once again in the hot sunshine. I alternatively jogged and walked my way to the boardwalk, loving all the excuses I was finding to do exercise without going to the gym. A treadmill had nothing on a pleasant run through the fields in the sunshine and a long swim in the sea.

I reached the store just in time to see Alan pulling down the shutters. Sam and Edgar were stood outside, both holding two surfboards each.

"Perfect timing." Sam said as he spotted me, handing me a surfboard as he did so. "Surf's up so we're heading out. You want to join us?"

I looked wearily at the board resting in my hands. Of all the things I'd tried on my travels, surfing wasn't one of them, I was far too unbalanced for things like this. On the other hand, try everything once right? Plus there was the whole thing of making it up to Sam for running out on him last night.

"Sure, why not?" I said, picking up the surfboard and following Sam down towards the beach. His smile said I'd made the right decision. I wondered if he'd feel the same once he'd seen me attempt to surf.

As I passed the Frog brother, Edgar handed one of the boards he was carrying to Alan then turned to me.

"Did you read it yet?"

"No, Edgar, I did not read your comic book. I got back too late last night and I came straight here after I got up." What was it with this guy and comic books?

"Make sure you read it tonight."

"If you manage to get through the rest of the day without mentioning it, I promise you, I'll read it tonight."

I hurried off to catch up with Sam who was already halfway down the beach.

"If he doesn't stop going on about that comic book I'm going to hit him over the head with it." I said in mock exasperation.

"It wouldn't do any good, believe me, many people have tried." His words were light but his tone was not.

"You okay?" I asked him.

"I'm fine." He said, but his frown told a different story.

"Is this about last night?" I asked, the guilt beginning to gnaw at me once again.

"I said I'm fine." He answered, roughly, before running the last few feet to the sea and paddling out.

Great, so he was still pissed off. Men! You spend a day with them and they think they own you. Well he'd learn. And what the hell was I supposed to do now, I had no clue how to surf!

Edgar and Alan ran past me at the point and followed Sam out to sea. I gave up. Putting down the board I was carrying, I sat down on the sand and resigned myself for a long wait. It was less dull than expected though. The boys were surprisingly good surfers. A lot better than most of the others that were already out there. I'd say they were even competition worthy, but then what did I know?

Eventually I saw Alan paddle his way back to the shore.

"You don't know how to surf?" He asked when he reached me.

"Not a clue." I replied, thinking that fact that I was sitting here and not out on the waves should have been answer enough.

"You want me to teach you?"

"Yeah." I replied, shocked by his offer. "Thanks."

"No problem." He said, reaching out his hand to help me up. Okay, so this was all shiny and new. Alan had barely spoken to me up until now. Still, I wasn't complaining, it would be nice to have another friend. I quickly stripped down to the bathing suit I'd taken to wearing under my clothes, it made sense living this close to the beach, then followed Alan out into the sea.

Now I wouldn't describe my efforts as a total disaster. I managed to learn how to paddle, sit steadily on the board, hey I even managed to stand up a few times, but I think it's safe to say that I wasn't going to be winning any medals any time soon. Surfing just wasn't my thing, despite Alan being such a good teacher. It was fun trying though, especially for Alan. Apparently watching me repeatedly falling off was highly entertaining. Eventually Sam came over and took over the lesson as Alan went out to surf again. Sam took even more amusement from my inability to surf, until I fell off and the board shot out and hit him in the face. At that point we both decided I should stick to swimming, although I did find my accidental revenge very satisfying indeed.

Smiling easily again, Sam went back to surfing and I head towards land for a bit to swim. I was happy that Sam was no longer angry with me, happy I'd got to the know Alan better, as for Edgar, well I was happy he hadn't bugged me about the comic again yet.

At the point where my limbs were that tired it was getting dangerous, I swam back to the shore. I found the boys already there and collapsed beside them.

**A/N So this is only technically half a chapter, but the full thing was too long to post all at once, it'll be up in the next couple of days.**

**Alexander: I'd guess you haven't seen the second Lost Boys film, or you didn't watch the credits, and hey I can't blame you on either, the film's rather dire. Basically right at the end of the second film, about a minute into the credits there's a one minute scene where Sam comes to face Edgar and he's a vampire. Two of the deleted scenes in the extras also show Alan as being a vampire. My story's based somewhere between the two films. Let me know what you think of my writing, good or bad, as long as it's constructive it's much appreciated!**

**Nightcrawlerlover: Thank you, as always!**


	8. Chapter 8

"You want some food?" Sam asked me.

I could smell the sausages and burgers cooking on the BBQ the boys had produced at some point, yet despite the ridiculous amount of exercise I'd done, I didn't want to eat. The 'unwell' feeling I'd woken up with had developed into full on queasiness.

"No, I'm fine." I replied to Sam's question.

"Sure? I'm a good cook." At that he thrust a burger under my nose. At any other time it would have got my stomach rumbling, but I clearly was ill as it only turned the queasiness into full on nausea.

"No, really Sam," I said, pushing the burger away. "I can't eat right now."

He looked slightly hurt by my rejection, but I was too ill to explain. Instead I lay down and closed my eyes in an attempt to calm my rolling stomach.

When I next opened my eyes, the sun had almost set. I stared out at the ocean, watching the last few rays disappearing beneath the horizon, it was a beautiful view. Calming too. I was now extremely alert after my snooze and no longer feeling ill which was a delightful bonus. I still wasn't hungry though, which was a good thing, as the boys appeared to have devoured everything in sight.

"Sleeping beauty lives again."

"Thanks Sam." I replied, sticking my tongue out at her childishly.

"Bit strange, going to sleep in the day, waking up at sunset." This from Edgar.

"Give it a rest Edgar." Sam shot back.

"I'm tired from swimming and ill from God knows what." I said, irritably. I had no idea what his statement was supposed to imply, but I didn't like his tone.

"You missed the food." Sam said, in an effort to break the sudden tension.

"Yeah, I saw. How on earth can you guys eat so much?"

"Ah we're just growing boys." Sam replied with a huge grin.

I laughed at his use of the word boys. As much as I liked to refer to them as such, they clearly weren't that young.

"Your mocking laughter wounds me." Sam said, gripping his chest dramatically.

"And your acting wounds my appreciation of theatre." I said, reaching for the beer that was now present.

"So you turn down my gourmet cooking, but you'll drink my beer."

"What, it's liquid bread."

"Yeah and I'm actually a teenager."

I was about to go into my lovely detailed argument about how nutritionally valuable beer was when Sam's face transformed from sarcastic to angry. Confused, I turned to look behind me at what had caused this change when a cool wind playing on my neck stopped me. The breeze was followed by a hand moving my hair aside and almost immediately lots of light kisses were placed down the back of my neck and along the shoulder. The cool touch of lips set my body on fire, and when he finally gave me a single small nip of his teeth it was all I could do to not turn around and maul him.

As it was he had enough sense to know when to stop so Jari released my hair and sat down beside me. I cuffed him around the back of his head for doing that to me in public, but his intoxicating smile had me wishing he'd do it all over again. Not the result I was looking for, damn all elves to hell.

Marcus and Dani squashed in on the other side of me, making it one very uneven circle. I was left to do the introductions and it was immediately clear that the two groups were not going to play well together.

"So this is the elf and his followers you told us about?" Edgar asked Sam, giving Jari the once over.

Sam nodded his head in reply, his mouth set in a hard line of anger.

"And these must be the guys you... oh wait, you really didn't tell us about them."

Great, Dani was starting off another pissing contest. Seriously, did men _ever_ grow up?

"Boys, play nice. You start squabbling and I'm leaving."

"Well now, can't have that can we?" Jari said, putting his arm around my shoulders and pulling me towards him.

"That's really not helpful." I said, looking up at him. All I got for a response was another of his hypnotic smiles and I gave up trying to pull away. Once again with damn all elves to hell.

For a while there was silence, the tension thick in the air, each group waiting for the slightest provocation from the other to start it all again. Thankfully at that point someone decided to hit me over the head with a baseball. Not the most subtle of ways to diffuse the situation, but hey, it worked.

I yelled in pain and instantly all six guys were on their feet, facing the guy who was running over after the ball. First impression: Jari's group was a lot more sinister than Sam's. You could feel the danger emanating from them. Mostly though, my brain was just registering 'Damn it that hurt!'

When the guy who was after the ball reached us he was apologising like crazy. It wasn't even him who'd hit it, but he was part of the game it had originated from and had taken it upon himself to apologise for the injury. And possibly have the stuffing beaten out of him for it.

"Okay guys, calm down, it wasn't his fault." Do I get points for at least trying to diffuse the situation?

"Who hit that ball?" Jari asked the guy, squaring up to him as he did so. Poor guy, he was clearly terrified. Jari wasn't exactly a big guy, but right now, he was intimidating as hell.

"Jari, back off, it was an accident. And shouldn't you be over here checking I'm okay instead of being over there all full of manly testosterone."

It worked, thankfully. Jari stared the guy down for a few more seconds then came over to check on me. Following his lead, Marcus and Dani sat back down, which left Sam, Edgar and Alan stood around not knowing what to do. Personally, I was too distracted by my pounding head to care.

"So er, you guys wanna join the game?" The lad asked hesitantly.

"Sure."

"Yeah, why not."

Marcus and Dani said simultaneously jumping to their feet.

Dani picked up the ball from the sand then they both head over to the game, smiles all around. Sam and the Frog brothers turned to each other before deciding to join the game too. Sam checked if I was okay before he went, clearly not wanting to leave me alone with Jari, but I reassured him I was fine and sent him off to play.

"You not going too?" I asked Jari.

"Baseball's never been my thing." He answered.

"Mine neither." I added. "Plus I don't think I should risk another concussion by going anywhere near that ball."

"You're certainly right there. In fact, I'm not sure you should even be this near. You want to go back to the cave? No risk of concussion there."

Ah temptation. Good old serpent in the Garden of Eden. At least Jari was a handsome serpent. But I was no simpering, weak Eve. Yes I was tempted, oh so sorely tempted. Was I going to give in though? Hell no. Jari was too good at this tempting lark, he'd clearly done it many times before and as long as I remembered that, I wouldn't fall for it.

"Nice try." Was all I said.

"Vittu. Thought I had you then." He replied, once again all cheeky smiles.

"I'm nowhere near that easy. And I know a few words of Finnish, less of the language okay?" I joked back.

Laughing quietly he pulled me towards him so that I was sitting with my back laid again his chest, his arms folded over mine.

As the boys played ball, Jari and me talked. A lot. It was nice, sitting there alone, getting to know each other. I told him about England, growing up there, all the fun of a traditional British private school. I told him about all the places I'd visited, tried to explain my need to travel so much and, surprisingly, he seemed to understand it. In return, he told me about his childhood.

"I grew up in Finland, my childhood consisted of saunas, snow and vodka."

"And when the joys of childhood were over?" I asked, laughing.

"Sex, saunas, snow and vodka. There's really not that much to do in Finland." He replied, not completely straight faced.

"That's not entirely helping convince me to visit Finland."

"Well if you like any of those things, it's a great place to visit. Take midsummer. Everybody goes out to a cabin in the forest, real back to nature type place. You get together with friends, cook outdoors, drink lots of vodka, have a sauna, whip each other with sticks..."

"Whip each other with sticks??" I asked.

"Well not sticks, a vihta, made of leafy branches, it's traditional, stems from the belief that evil spirits can be exorcised with a vihta. Mostly it just creates the real midsummer spirit. And it's fun. Anyway, after the sauna you're usually drunk enough to decide that going swimming in the lake is a good idea. After that you simply drink, watch the sun not go down and drink some more."

"Sounds a hell of a lot more interesting than most of the parties I went to in London."

"How do they usually go?"

"Drinking, throwing up, drinking, passing out, drinking, maybe a trip to A&E."

"And I thought London was supposed to be sophisticated."

"Well it's not as much fun as whipping each other with sticks, but it can be entertaining."

The look on his face said he didn't quite believe me, but I wasn't about to argue, those days were gone now, I was here. Sat on a beach, wrapped in the arms of a guy I was seriously falling for against all my better judgement, drinking beer and gazing out at the endless ocean. Would I swap it for a London get together? Never. All hail my parents; this was definitely one of their better ideas.

For a while Jari and me sat in silence, just enjoying each other's presence. Eventually though the game ended and the rest of the boys came back to join us. From their arguing it was clear that Marcus and Dani's team had won and Sam, Edgar and Alan were accusing them of cheating somehow. Marcus and Dani were taking it all very good naturedly, but there was a definite bite to the other three boy's words. Perhaps competitive sports weren't the way to get the two groups to bond. Who'd have thought it?

Thankfully there wasn't time for the argument to turn into anything sinister as the Frog brothers had to go re-open their shop for the evening trade. Big thanks to the god of odd working hours on the Boardwalk.

Sam asked if I wanted to join him on the boardwalk but I declined. He'd had me all afternoon; my night belonged to Jari and his boys. This was becoming a bit of a routine. Sam looked as though he was going to argue against my decision, but in the end he simply shook his head, gathered up the last of his beer and his surfboards and went after the Frog brothers.

There was the guilt again, but why? Why the anger every time I chose Jari? It wasn't like Sam never got to see me, he got my days, Jari got my nights. Okay so I spent half the day in bed but that was going to change soon and... Argh I give up. Nope, stop thinking about it, back to Jari. Thankfully that was an easy task. Realising there was no more beer to steal, we all decided to go back to the cave. I wasn't about to get drunk though, I'd had a few beers, and I'd have a few more. As long as I stayed well away from the vodka, I'd be fine. So I got dressed and followed Jari to his bike. Once again the cliff was shrouded in mist, but I was much more confident now. When we reached the cave, Marcus went to a fridge hidden at the back and got everyone a few beers. For a while we all talked, drinking steadily, then Dani challenged me to a game of guitar hero and the night was lost.

I don't know at what point I started drinking spirits, all I remember was realising my hand now held a glass not a bottle. This was around the time me and Dani were arguing over whether to play Alice Cooper or Dragonforce. The rest of the night then faded into obscurity. I do remember winning said argument with Dani and kicking his ass at Through the Fire and the Flames. Jari tried to teach me some more Finnish, but I was less than convinced that what he was teaching me was actually a greeting and more suspicious that it was some sort of insult regarding pigs. Marcus watched the whole thing with amusement, constantly topping up drinks. Words were going to have to be had. I told him not to let me do this again. And so the last thing I remember was Dani throwing some Guns and Roses on the CD player and us two air guitaring away into the night.

Damn those boys and my apparent inability to hold my drink.

**A/N So here's the rest of the chapter, just as I promised. I noticed in my 'traffic' there's a few Finnish people reading the story, so I hope I've not offended any of you. I've got a few Finnish friends and everything I know about Finland and it's language I learnt from them so I do apologise if any of it is incorrect or stereotypical or insulting. Personally I love the Finnish language and I cannot wait to finally visit Finland next year.**

**So as always, let me know what you think, come on, make me happy x**


	9. Chapter 9

I'm sure I swore off alcohol. In fact I distinctly remember waking up two days ago with a hangover from hell and vowing never to drink alcohol, especially Finnish vodka, ever again. So why the hell have I, once again, woken up in the middle of the afternoon, feeling like death? And it really was the middle of the afternoon. This was getting ridiculous. I opened my eyes in defiance of the pounding in my head, and immediately regretted it. It seemed my feud with the sun had stepped up in intensity. Groaning I reached for the sunglasses I'd thrown on my bedside table at some point last night, before slowly sitting up. I wasn't sure I could face a shower right now. Food seemed too important. Despite my pounding head and violently ill stomach, I was hungry. No, not hungry, I was starving. When was the last time I ate? I genuinely couldn't remember. Food had never been a big thing with me. Well it certainly was now. Hauling myself out of bed, fighting a wave of dizziness as I did so, I decided my pyjamas would suffice until I'd eaten, and I head on down to the kitchen.

My mother was sat on the couch in the living room watching TV. She looked up as I passed but I glanced away from her quickly. I could tell from the set of her mouth that she disapproved of my behaviour. I couldn't blame her, _I _disapproved of my behaviour. Thankfully Mum decided not to say anything. I wondered how long her guilt at moving would override her disapproval. Not that it mattered, I would not be doing this again!

Anyway, back to food. Looking in the fridge, nothing tempted me, and I mean nothing. Everything I looked at made me feel even more ill, but the hunger was overpowering. I needed to eat, but what? Eventually I settled on cereal. Not the most exciting food in the world, but hopefully I'd be able to keep it down. As I looked at the first spoonful, my mouth sneered in disgust, but I was determined to eat it.

It was the most vile thing I've ever tasted. Pure cardboard. It took all my will just to swallow that first mouthful. Whatever it was my body wanted, it couldn't possibly be this. I walked across the kitchen to the bin to discard the cereal, but I only made it three steps. As a child I'd been prone to illness and accidents, I've had a ruptured appendix, impaled myself on a broken fence and broken multiple ribs, but nothing compared to the pain that sliced through my gut at that moment. For a while there was nothing but the pain. I could feel myself retching, my body desperately trying to rid itself of the foulness that had just polluted it, but my mind could only focus on the pain.

Mere seconds passed, though it felt like hours, before a smell brought me back to my senses. That was it, that's what I craved, that's what my body needed. The pain faded, the world returned. I was on my knees. All around me were the contents of the bowl and its broken pieces. And a touch, a hand on my shoulder. But that smell, God that smell! So close now. I turned my head to look in my mother's eyes, but all I saw was blood. A red veil descended, I could see each individual vein in her face, her neck. And the smell was completely enveloping my senses. Of it's own free will my hand moved towards my mother's neck, the smell driving my every instinct, forcing my mind to close down and let my body take what it needed. No. Dear God no. The truth slammed into me with the weight of a semi-articulated truck and I physically threw myself backwards. My head slammed into the cupboard behind me, but I barely stopped to register the pain. Scrambling to my feet I launched myself into a run, out the door and straight through the fields. I ignored all I passed, the scenery insignificant to the battle going on inside my head.

Vampire, no. Vampire, yes. Vampire, FUCK! How the hell could this happen? It couldn't, it's not real, vampires aren't real. Like hell they're not! Blood, that smell, blood alright, seductive, addictive, even the memory of it pulled at me, demanded I turn around, drink that blood, kill my mother. Kill my mother??? What the hell was going on? Vampire. NO! Blood, sunlight... Sunlight! I'm standing in the middle of the field in bright sunlight. In sunglasses. Sunglasses that weren't nearly bloody dark enough! Blood, sunlight, coffins... Coffins? Sleep through the day. Right, got that down. What else? What am I doing? Vampires aren't real, get a grip! But what else could explain what just happened?

And that's where my thoughts ended. There were no other explanations. Deny it as I might, vampire fitted. Collapsing in a heap of mental exhaustion I tried to think of another reason for what had happened, but my mind kept tripping over the word vampire. And an image, an image of a vampire. A cartoon of a vampire. Oh you've got to be kidding me, the Frog brothers? Why, why out of all the people in this damn town did they have to be the ones I had to turn to? I guess I could go to Sam, but he'd no doubt only lead me to them. That's if he didn't think I was crazy. And what if the Frog brothers thought I was crazy too, hell why wouldn't they? I sounded crazy, even to me! No, that comic book, they'd tried to warn me. Warn me of what? I still had no idea of how this had happened. I felt my neck. No puncture wounds, therefore no biting. And I think I'd remember being bloody bitten. Except if it happened in my two recent bouts of extreme drunkenness... Oh no, no way. Not Jari. He wasn't a vampire. Was he? How would I know? I didn't even know what a vampire was! So that was my first mission, right? Research? Which brought me back to the Frog brothers.

Groaning at the thought of having to speak to them, of having to have this conversation with them, I stood up wearily. Thankfully I could still see my house in the distance or I would have been completely lost. Looking down at myself I realised I had to go back there, I didn't have a choice. In reality my 'pyjamas' were little more than underwear and there was no way I was just going to walk down the boardwalk in them. But my mother... no I couldn't face her, not yet, not until I had some answers. Not until I knew I wouldn't kill her.

A shudder passed through me at the thought of what I'd nearly done, at what I'd wanted to do. More than a shudder. I realised I was shaking uncontrollably. Tears pricked at my eyes but I wouldn't give in to them. I would fight this. Whatever it was, I'd beat it!

Slowly I began to walk back to the house, keeping my eye out for my mother, prepared to hide if she appeared. I made it to the house without incident, and silently climbed onto the porch and through my bedroom window. That was far too easy. Distracting myself I focused my thoughts on the mundane task of dressing before grabbing my bag and heading back out the window.

I ran the whole way into town, something I would never have been able to do under normal circumstances, yet these circumstances were anything but normal. As I ran I thought of my mother, though no longer of killing her. Her scent had faded and so had the blood lust it had induced. Instead, I wondered what she was thinking, what had she seen? Her daughter drop her cereal and collapse to the floor in pain, then look at her with, what? Hunger? Desire? Could I explain it away, or would she be so worried about where I was and what was wrong that she'd forget? I could only hope so, otherwise I had no idea how to explain what happened.

I hesitated once I reached the comic book shop. What the hell was I going to say? "Hi, do you guys know anything about vampires, because I think I might be one?" Crazy, pure insanity.

On the other hand, standing out here wasn't getting me anywhere so...

"Ditched the elfish one then?"

"Sam!" I exclaimed, spinning around to face him.

"And here's me thinking you'd have forgotten me after another night with those three."

"You're jealous?!" I'm not usually quite that blunt, but I had rather more important things on my mind right now than male rivalries.

"Of what? Legolas, Axl and whoever the third one is supposed to be?"

"Why the hell are you getting angry?" Okay, so I was getting angry too, but only because he was being so childish. Yes, I see the hypocrisy there.

"Oh come on, we're getting on great and then you disappear off who knows where with three guys you barely know to do who knows what?"

There was an insult in there, aimed mostly at Jari, Marcus and Dani, but I was in there too. The anger welled up inside me, a primal, guttural force, but instead of the insult I was about to hurl at him, my mouth emitted a low-pitched growl. That's right, I growled, and I'm not sure who was more surprised, Sam or I. His reaction was certainly the biggest though.

"You've got to be kidding me. Not you too! That's it, I've had it, I'm getting the fuck out of this town, I will not go through this again." And after his outburst he stormed straight into the comic book store. What could I do but follow? Clearly my instincts were right, he knew something about what was going on with me.

**A/N Reviews would be very much appreciated at this point, let me know what you think, good or bad!!**


	10. Chapter 10

I walked into the store just in time to hear Sam tell the Frog brothers I was a half vampire. The transformation in Edgar and Alan at hearing these words was, well, ridiculous to be perfectly frank. Within seconds they'd armed themselves with what I can only assume were meant to be weapons. To me they just looked like water balloons and giant splinters, but hey, what do I know? I walked straight towards them, refusing to be intimidated one bit by their excessively manly show.

Leaning casually on the counter I removed the piece of wood Edgar was pointing at my chest and laid it down between us on the counter. A frown crossed Edgar's face, obvious confusion at my antics.

"So spill." I said to him, getting impatient.

"Huh?" Was all I got in response.

"Vampires. Clearly you know a lot more about them than me and right now I need answers, so spill."

The brothers looked at each other, nodded in some kind of silent agreement, then Edgar began to speak.

"Vampires, Nosferatu, Creatures of the night..."

"I didn't ask for a thesaurus." I interrupted, irritated at his generally excessive behaviour.

For a few seconds he merely glared at me, then he continued.

"They feed on blood, killing the innocent with no other thought than to sate their thirst. They're pure evil, no thought for anything other than themselves. Demons incarnate..."

"Okay I get it. Can't you tell me anything useful?"

"Look, you came to us for help, you need us, so how about you keep quiet and listen to what I've got to say."

I leant towards him slightly, narrowing my eyes in anger. This guy was really beginning to piss me off.

"Then how about you quit with the dramatics and tell me what I need to know."

There was no fear in his eyes as he tried to stare me down. Commendable. Nevertheless, it was he who looked away first.

"Have you killed anyone yet?"

My stare was answer enough.

"Good. If you haven't made your first kill you're only half a vampire and there's a chance you can be cured."

"Cured?"

"Go back to being human."

So there was hope at least.

"How?"

"Kill the head vampire."

"Who the hell is the head vampire?"

"The leader of the vamps that made you"

I blanched at the thought. Kill him. Kill Jari. Or Marcus. Or Dani. Hell I didn't even know which one it was and even if I did, how could I possibly kill them?

"Pierce their heart." Edgar said in response to my unspoken question. "Any sharp object will do. Holy water and decapitation will get it done too. Just know this, no two vamps go out the same way. Some..."

"Oh Edgar give it a rest." This from Sam.

"He's done this before?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in Sam's direction.

"Once or twice." He answered, frowning even more than before. "Every time someone comes in who even slightly believes in vampires he gives them the same lines."

"So this sort of thing happens a lot?"

"Not for a long time. We cleared out the local vamps just after I moved here and we haven't seen any since. A few months ago people started disappearing, but we couldn't find any traces of vampires. Until now."

"Great, I'm here two days and I manage to fall in with the worse crowd in Santa Carla."

"Don't blame yourself. My brother did the same thing when we first moved here. We killed those vamps, we'll kill these. But as soon as this is over, I'm heading out. I've had enough of this town."

"Then your brother...?"

"He's fine, human. He got out years ago. I should have done the smart thing and followed him then."

So there really was hope. These boys had killed vampires before, why shouldn't they kill these? Yet why did the though of Jari and the boys dead, fill me with sorrow? Nope, too many questions there, I'm not going down that route.

"So what do we do now?" I asked.

"First we scout out their lair, do you have any idea where it could be?" Edgar asked, back to business.

I hesitated. Just for a moment, but I hesitated. Why? I couldn't have told you. I didn't know myself. I only knew that for some reason I was reluctant to tell them. Tell them I did though.

"There's a cave off the beach. If one of you drives I can show you where it is."

"I'll drive." Alan said, grabbing a bunch of keys from under the counter and preparing to shut the shop. Clearly these boys didn't hang around.

Within minutes we were on our way and I directed Alan to the Cliff easily enough. The problems started when we got there. For a long while I refused to believe we were in the right place, but the bike tracks on the ground were proof enough. It was the cliff that was giving me problems. Three times now I'd climbed it, and I'd always assumed it to be only about 6 meters high. Now, in broad daylight, unobscured by fog or sea mist, I could see clear down to the bottom and this was no small ledge. The cliff was over 40 meters high. There was no way in hell I would ever have been able to climb that, not a chance.

"So where is it?" Alan asked.

I looked down and along the cliff which I now saw curved around slightly and I could see the area where I knew the entrance to the tunnel was. I pointed but none of the boys could pick it out at this distance.

"How do we get down there?" Edgar asked.

I didn't even answer, just looked down at the cliff beneath my feet.

"Down the cliff?" Edgar asked, scepticism clear in his voice.

"Yep." I responded, quietly.

"You've climbed down there?" The scepticism had turned to outright disbelief.

"Apparently so." I still couldn't quite believe I'd done it, it just didn't seem possible. Now I'd seen it, there was no way I was going to even attempt it. Turns out I wasn't the only one thinking that way.

"Well you guys have fun with your suicidal climb, I'll stay here and watch the car." Sam said, refusing to go anywhere near the cliff edge.

"It's okay." I said. "Apparently there's a path a few miles down the cliff edge."

There was a lot of grumbling at the prospect of the long walk, but at least Sam came with us. If it had just been Frog brothers and me I'm not sure I'd have been able to refrain from killing them. They sure do know how to piss a girl off.

"So how'd they get you to drink the blood?" Edgar asked. "Mind tricks?"

"They got me drunk."

"They got you drunk? Geez you really are easy."

Without even thinking I spun around, grabbed Edgar by the neck of his shirt and pulled his face towards mine. The growl that emanated from my throat was more threatening than words could ever be. To his credit he looked me in the eye for a whole two seconds before looking over at Alan for backup. He didn't need it. I threw him to the ground and stalked off. I wasn't that far gone yet, but he needed to watch his mouth. Clearly my warning went unheeded as he spent the next five minutes muttering about 'damn vampires'. I could feel my anger rising again. Why the hell didn't that boy have any sense of self-preservation? Eventually though I gave up and started running, leaving them behind in seconds despite their protests. I could search quicker by myself anyway and we were running out of daylight. Even if I found the path we wouldn't have time to search the cave. I wanted to be as far away from here as possible before sundown.

Despite the need for sunglasses, my eyesight was perfect, better than it had ever been before. I could see every little detail of my surroundings, from the plants to the insects that inhabited them. It was very disorientating to suddenly discover a cacophony of life that your eyes had kept hidden before. Even more worrying was the desire to wipe it out. I increased my pace, desperate to keep those feelings at bay. I knew I couldn't miss the path with this eyesight so I wasn't worried about going too fast.

I estimated I'd gone about two miles from the cave when I came to a place where the beach below disappeared completely. Even if there had been a path further along the cliff there was no way back to the cave, the sea was right up the cliffs, and this wasn't even high tide. With a sinking feeling I realised there was no path. So how had they carried me back to the bikes? Could they fly? I shuddered at the thought, not really wanting to know the answer. To keep my mind empty I turned and ran back to the boys, going at full speed which only scared me all the more. I reached them in no time and was met with scowls all around. My news wasn't exactly going to make things any better

"There is no path, the beach stops a few miles along. Looks like the cliff is the only way down."

The Frog brothers cursed dramatically but there was no response from Sam.

"Then we go down the cliff." Edgar said.

Now that elicited a response from Sam.

"Not a chance in hell am I going down that cliff!"

Edgar started to argue but I cut him off before he could.

"Look, we've only got an hour or so of sunlight left, I need to get as far away from here as I can before the sun goes down, so tonight, we leave it."

"She's right." Sam agreed. "Tomorrow we can come back with some climbing gear and you guys can have a look safely."

"You guys?" I questioned, one eyebrow raised.

"Climbing gear doesn't make that cliff any smaller."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You'll fight vampires but you're scared of heights?"

I got a mock punch on my arm for that one and let it go. The Frog brothers agreed it'd be better done tomorrow so we all went back to the car. After I threatened to throw him off the cliff head first, Alan even agreed to give me a lift back home. Now that dark was approaching I was beginning to get anxious. They'd know I'd been here, I don't know how, but they'd know. What would they do? I had no idea. I just knew I had to get home before the sun set.


	11. Chapter 11

I reached the house just in time to say goodbye to my parents as they left. They'd decided to go out for a meal and a movie so I'd be alone in the house until late. Of all the nights they choose to go out! I didn't dare protest though. My mother never mentioned the incident today, no doubt just happy that I was home safe, but she was too quiet, suspicious. Clearly she'd already begun to form a rational explanation for my behaviour. I didn't have a clue what that could be but as long as it meant I didn't have to come up with something myself I was happy. The more normal I acted, the quicker she'd forget. So I ignored the anxious voice in my head that was telling me to beg them to stay and instead told them to have a good night and said goodbye.

Silence. I'd always found it so comforting in the past, but not today. I tried watching TV but then I feared I'd miss some important noise, the sound of the boys approaching perhaps, so I went back to silence. I went upstairs to my room, sat on my bed and finally got around to reading Edgar's comic book. I read it twice over but it told me nothing that Edgar hadn't already so eventually I threw it away in annoyance. I attempted to read a book but I couldn't concentrate, nothing was going in. The words danced in front of me and when I'd read the same page four times over and still had no idea what I was about, I gave up and just sat in silence, watching the sun go down, awaiting the inevitable.

As I sat there on my bed, back to the wall, knees curled up to my chest, I felt fear for the first time in my life. I'd done some stupid things on my travels, walked backstreets alone at night, caught rides with complete strangers, but I'd never once felt true fear. It wasn't any kind of bravery, just stupid naivety, that blind belief that it won't happen to me. But right now, sat in the safety of my own bedroom, in my own house, I was afraid. I was dealing with the unknown here, strange supernatural creatures that had suddenly invaded my life, invaded my body. I had no weapons against this fear, no barriers of disbelief that it couldn't happen to me, because it had happened. It was happening.

As the sun went down, my every sense heightened. My fear demanded I turn on a light, but I refused to give in to it. I could see perfectly well in the dark and I knew putting a light on would only make me more visible. Not that they'd need a light to find me. If I could see this well as a half vampire, how much better must they be able to see? I knew they'd find me, no matter what I did. I could hide but why bother? And I was never one to run. I always faced my problems head on... So why the hell was I hiding in my room in the dark from monsters?! This wasn't me, this was some pathetic, scared little girl and I was NOT going to behave like this! So they were coming for me? Let them bloody come.

Jumping off my bed I strode across the room and turned on the light. I was still half human, I still belonged in the light; let them come for me on my own terms.

"Impressive."

I spun around in shock, staring at the bed I'd recently vacated to find Jari sitting there.

"I did wonder if you were going to cower in the dark all night, but you fought back. I'm proud of you girl"

Confusion, pure confusion. All the feelings I'd had for him before I knew he was a vampire came back in full. And he _was_ a vampire, that much was obvious now I knew what I was looking for. Pale skin, haunting eyes, long fingernails, the fact that he'd suddenly appeared in my bedroom out of nowhere... In my bedroom... On my bed... Stop that damn it! The guy's a killer, you can't have thoughts like that about a killer! They wouldn't go away though. Vampire or not this man had caught me hook line and sinker and from the look on his face he knew it. That haughty smirk that said he knew exactly what was going through my head. The casual lowering of his leg that said he'd do all he could to encourage it. Arrogant bastard.

"So," He said, leaping off the bed and walking over to me. "You ready to join us yet?"

"Join you?" I asked, shocked by his rapid yet graceful movements.

"Join us." He said, putting his arms on the wall either side of me, moving his face to within inches of my own. "Make your first kill." His voice was almost a whisper, his breath caressing my face, not at all unpleasant as Edgar had suggested. "Become a real vampire."

All thoughts flew out of my head. The desire to kiss those lips that now hovered mere millimetres from mine overwhelmed everything else. I moved forward to kiss him but he matched my movements in reverse, keeping that infinitesimal distance between us. The frustration burned within me, blocking out all thoughts other than how to bridge the gap. A small growl escaped my throat and in an instant too quick for my mind to register, Jari placed his hands on my shoulders, pushed me back against the wall and kissed me with enough force to take my breath away. It was staggering, his lips an ecstasy of fire against my own. For a while I was lost, consumed by a passion I'd never felt before. The touch of his hands against my shoulders, locking me against the wall and in his embrace was almost as powerful as the kiss itself. I could feel his need match my own, his hunger... A sharp prick of teeth against my lips. Unnatural canines. The world crashed back with dizzying force and with no thought at all as to what I was doing I threw Jari off me. He had not been expecting this and I was stronger than I realised. The result was Jari literally flying across the room, smashing into the wall opposite and falling onto the bed, taking half of the wall with him.

He was on his feet in a second and had me pinned to the wall once again before I could even think of fighting him. There was no heat in it this time, only anger.

"You can't fight this. Our blood is in your veins and sooner or later you're going to want that more than this pathetic human existence."

"This human existence is all I have!" I shouted back at him.

"But we're offering so much more. Power, eternal life..."

"You're offering me death. I will not kill!"

"We'll soon see about that."

Picking me up bodily he launched himself out of the window, taking me with him. Fear fought with the exhilaration of flying and lost. There was nothing to compare this to. I'd flown in aeroplanes, gliders, I'd sky dived and bungee jumped, but always with the feeling of loss of control. Not this. I wasn't the one flying, nevertheless I felt weightless, completely in control, immune to the laws of gravity and I loved it! This was freedom in its purest form and it was addictive.

I completely forgot my anger, so consumed was I by the sensations of flying. I closed my eyes and revelled in the feel of the wind as we passed silently through the sky. All too soon though I came crashing down to the ground. Literally. Apparently the joy of flying hadn't affected Jari as much as it had me and he was still angry. As he descended he got within a few meters of the ground and simply dropped me. It may have been onto sand, but we were going at a fair speed and the landing was still bruise-worthy. Cursing Jari under my breath I stood up to discover we weren't near the cave as I'd expected. We were on a beach however. Far in the distance I could see the lights of the boardwalk, but that's not what caught my attention. Down by the sea sat two figures holding hands. Even from this distance I could see that one was male, one was female. We were far enough away that they hadn't heard the few sounds I'd made as I'd landed. The wind was blowing in off the sea, carrying the couple's scent straight to me. It was divine. A hunger stronger than that I'd felt for Jari consumed me.

A few yards ahead of me I saw Jari stride down the beach towards the couple. When he was about a meter away he leapt for the girl. She was dead before the boy beside her even registered she was gone. The boy stared in horror as Jari lapped up the last of her blood. At that point the smell of the blood hit me and I reeled from it. Pure, fresh, hot blood. The hunger was beyond anything I'd ever experienced before. Stronger by far than what it had been with my mother. I unconsciously took a few steps down towards the boy before I realised what I was doing and forced myself to stop. I would not do this, I would not!

Jari on the other hand had different ideas. Grabbing the boy by the hair he dragged him up the beach and dropped him unceremoniously at my feet.

I wouldn't. I wouldn't. I wouldn't. I wouldn't.

I kept repeating it over and over in my head like a mantra, fists clenched, eyes closed, focussing all my strength on simply not moving. I couldn't move away. I wasn't that strong, but I wouldn't kill him. I wouldn't. Dear God that smell! No! I won't!

"Do you have any idea how hard it was to get you in Freya?" Jari's voice was full of fury

"Get me in?" I yelled back, opening my eyes in anger. "You speak like this is some sort of club!"

"It is! The most exclusive club you'll ever belong to. Convincing the boys to give you their blood was beyond difficult. We've been as we are for over a century, they didn't want anyone coming in and messing up the entire set up for them."

"Well I guess they're just smarter than you then"

Jari laughed in response, like what I'd said was highly amusing.

"No, they just know how difficult this life is. They feel you're too young to face eternity. I was the youngest when I was turned at 28, but even then I'd seen a hell of a lot more of the world than you have. I'd survived enough for Marcus to know I'd survive the passing centuries. He doesn't see this in you, doesn't see that will to survive." His voice turned soft as he looked at me. "He doesn't see what I see."

For a few moments the affection in his gaze stunned me, all my feelings for him came to the fore and it was difficult for me to remember what we were arguing about, why I was supposed to be angry. He reached up to cup my face in his hands, a tender gesture, reminding me of all the good in him. However the touch of his ice cold hand on my skin brought it all back, reminded me of all the evil in him too. The opposing emotions raged in me, each wanting to emerge victorious. The anger was winning, anger at what he'd done to me, anger at what he was trying to make me do now. The warm feelings I had for Jari were fading, the anger beating them down. The anger would have won too, but I hadn't been planning on Jari's desire to fight for me.

Before I'd even realised what he was planning to do, he'd lifted his other hand to my cheek, leaned in and kissed me. All the anger, all the pain at how he'd betrayed me disappeared in that moment. All I was aware of was the feel of his lips on mine. I never consciously made the decision to kiss him back, but suddenly I was, it was inevitable really. The kiss drew me in, and threw every other thought in my mind out. It shocked me, as it always did at times like this, just how strong my feelings for him were. It was as though he were the only thing that mattered anymore, as long as I had him, I'd be happy.

Wrong.

With a painful wrench he pushed me away from him, put a hand on the back of my neck and forced me down onto my knees, bending over the now unconscious boy on the floor. He put my face mere inches from the boy's throat and the smell became intoxicating. My senses, so full of Jari only moments ago, were now completely focused on the blood in front of me. It was disorientating, going from one extreme to the other, my conscious brain shut down almost as it tried to switch between the two environments, and the monster within me took over. By the time I came to my senses my teeth were already locked around the boys throat. Another millisecond longer and I would have broken the skin. As it was my teeth were pressing in but hadn't yet injured him.

Sensing my resistance, despite his best efforts to remove them, Jari began to press down harder on my neck, forcing my head downwards, pushing my teeth into the skin below them. I felt the skin tear slightly and then the blood hit my tongue. There are no words to describe the taste, nothing in the human world could even slightly compare to the luscious taste of his blood. It was exquisite, filling all of my senses, it was more than a taste, more than a smell. It was a drug, heady, intoxicating, addictive. My tongue lapped at the blood even as my mind rebelled against it.

Jari removed his hand from my neck, assured that the taste of blood would be all I needed to set me off into a feeding frenzy. He was wrong. The blood called to me, demanded I drink my fill, but I would not give up. I couldn't. I was human, there was still a chance I could remain that way. I wouldn't let him do this to me, I was not dead yet!

All this time my tongue had been lapping at the blood that was slowly pouring from the small wound I'd made in his neck. Thankfully I hadn't hit the jugular, so far I'd drunk less than a pint, but still, the effort it took to drag myself away from him was monumental. Every cell in my body was screaming out for more but I managed to pull my head away and sit back on my knees. I couldn't move any further away, my will wasn't that strong, not yet, but the fact that I'd managed to resist, that the boy in front of me was still alive, made me grin uncontrollably.

It was a huge mistake. Seeing that I'd managed to resist killing the boy angered Jari, that I could sit there and grin about it made him furious. In a movement too fast for me to see Jari reached out and broke the boys neck. He died instantly.

For a long time I couldn't move. I was vaguely aware of Jari getting up, and flying away, but it was as though it were happening somewhere else. The only thing that seemed real was the boy in front of me. No, the corpse in front of me. He was dead, dead because of me, I hadn't killed him, but he was dead anyway.

I only became aware I was crying when the tears splashed down on my hand. Instantly I dissolved into my grief, sobbing uncontrollably for the loss of this stranger, this innocent who'd been destined to die tonight no matter what my decision.

I don't know how long I stayed there on my knees, crying over his body, but eventually the sobs ceased. As I stood up and looked down at the boy once more, I made my decision. Jari had made a mistake, he'd tried to force me into my first kill, but it hadn't worked. More than that, he'd created a new, more powerful hatred within me towards him. That he would kill this boy in anger because I wouldn't obey him was sickening, but it had created a new resolve in me. I would not become that, I would not kill without remorse, if I had to starve myself or flat out kill myself, I would not turn into that. No matter what Jari did, no matter what my feelings for him, I would remain human!

**A/N So there you go, a nice long chapter for you all. Now be nice, leave me a review, come on, please.**


	12. Chapter 12

I was awakened the next day by my mother shaking me roughly. This wasn't like her at all. Then again she'd no doubt gone through the stages of calling my name and shaking me gently throughout which I'd remained dead to the world. I winced at the thought; bad choice of words there.

Slowly I dragged myself out of bed, wincing once more at the disapproving look on my mothers face. I glanced at the clock and saw it was barely past noon. No wonder I was so tired, my body clock was telling me it was the middle of the night. Of course I couldn't explain this to my mother, I simply had to endure her disappointment.

"Your three friends are downstairs."

For a second I thought she meant Jari, Marcus and Dani and I was filled with conflicting emotions. But it was the middle of the day, they couldn't possibly be here. Relief flooded through me, but it was more than a little tinged with disappointment. Confused, I made my way to the wardrobe and picked out some clothes before I realised my mum was still watching me.

"Are you okay Freya?" She asked, more than a little concerned. Breakfast of guilt coming right up.

"I'm fine mum, I just think I'm coming down with something." Side order of lies.

"Didn't you say you'd go to the doctors if it carried on?"

No mention of yesterday, for which I was eternally grateful. The human mind's capacity for denial is astonishing.

"I'll go today."

"Okay." she turned to leave but hesitated as she reached the door. "You know I'm here if you need to talk." She added.

"I'm okay mum, I promise." I lied through a smile and it broke my heart to do it, but I refused to drag her into this. After she left I quickly dressed and hurried downstairs to find Sam, Edgar and Alan sat at my dining table eating fried egg sandwiches. The smell turned my stomach, even overpowering the scent of their blood. Sam said hello as I entered the kitchen, the other two simply nodded their greetings. Clearly the Frog brothers and me were never going to be good friends, despite how well they were getting on with my mothers cooking. Speaking of Mum, why was she dragging a suitcase out to the car? On the pretext of helping her carry the case, I went to find out what was going on.

"One of your Dad's colleagues is off sick, he was supposed to be going to a conference in New York but cant go now, so they've asked your Dad to go instead. Wives are invited too so I get to see New York finally. We'll be away for about a week, the cupboards are fully stocked and I've left you some money." she paused to look at me, clearly concerned and not sure she should leave. "Will you be okay?

"I'll be fine mum, go, have fun."

She was silent for a moment before finally getting the last of her things, hugging me and driving off to pick my dad up. It wasn't until she was driving away that I realised how much I'd been worried about getting my parents mixed up in all this. At least now I knew they were safe I could focus fully on the fight ahead.

I walked back in the house to find Sam making some more fried egg sandwiches.

"Hungry?" he asked me, no doubt an automatic response.

"You offering yourself or the amphibians?" I asked, nodding at the Frog brothers.

Note to self, joking about my special diet does not go down well with the humans. Sam almost dropped the frying pan in fear and Edgar and Alan jumped to their feet, crosses in hands. Groaning I dropped into an empty chair at the table, resting my head in my arms.

"I'm kidding guys. Yes I'm hungry, no I don't want eggs, no I'm not that far gone that I'd actually attack you."

My eyes were closed but I heard the rustle of movements that told me Edgar and Alan had sat down and Sam had gone back to his cooking. The smell of frying eggs was making me more ill by the minute, but at least it dimmed the hunger.

"Damn it that hurt!" I yelled, picking myself off the floor where I'd landed in a rather inelegant heap when Edgar had pushed my chair over.

"You've been asleep for half an hour and nothing else would wake you." I heard a very distinct tone of amusement in Edgar's voice, but refused to give in to it. Hell he was probably right. I didn't feel like a second had passed since I had sat down, no doubt an indication of a very deep sleep.

"Come on, were going to the cave." Alan said, heading out the front door to his car.

At his words a frisson of fear shot through me as the memories of last night invaded my mind. I hadn't yet had chance to tell the boys what had happened and I was very reluctant to do so. They feared me already, that much was clear, telling them how close I'd come to making my first kill wasn't going to help. Yet the thought of going to the cave, of being so close to Jari, the source of my temptation, scared me. Even in daylight.

I'd hesitated too long, all three boys stood at my door, watching me, trying to figure out why I wasn't following them. They'd have to keep on wondering. Getting up I strode out to the car, taking pleasure in watching all three of them flinch as I walked past.

The drive to the cliff was silent, each of us immersed in our thoughts. My dread increased the closer we got, irrational since I knew the vampires would be unconscious, but there it was nonetheless.

When we reached the cliff the Frog brothers started to unload the climbing equipment whilst Sam stayed in the car, his fear of heights giving him no option to help. Leaving Edgar and Alan to sort out the ropes I went back to the edge of the cliff. Once again the air was clear and I could see all the way to the bottom. After last nights flight it didn't seem such a distance now. In fact, I knew without question that I'd have no trouble climbing it now I was beginning to learn about the powers of a vampire.

I looked back at the Frog brothers to find them trying to undo knots in the rope and arguing furiously over had thrown the rope in the boot so disordered as to cause the knots in the first place. I rolled my eyes at their behaviour before turning back to the cliff. I barely even made the decision before I was over the edge and scooting down the cliff face. I heard Sam shout "No!" as I disappeared, but seconds later I was safely down on the beach. As I looked up I saw Edgar and Alan's faces appear at the top of the cliff, shocked to find me already at the bottom.

"Using your vampiric powers will only make the vampire side of you stronger." Edgar shouted down. I laughed, I probably shouldn't have done, but the simple fact was that using my strength had made me feel more alive than I had in years. Not that I would ever admit that to them. Plus I was pretty sure Edgar was making it up.

The heads disappeared and I could hear them reassuring Sam that I was okay before they went back to squabbling over the ropes again. I wandered down the beach, away from the cave, killing time whilst waiting for the boys to join me. It was a very pleasant beach, despite how bright it all was. Even behind my sunglasses the sun was scorching. I longed to jump into the cool sea, but this wasn't the time. As I walked I came to a point where I could see where the beach disappeared in the distance. Curious I turned back and walked past the cave, studiously avoiding looking at it. I passed around a bend in the cliff and saw the beach ended there too. They'd found a good hideaway. A secluded beach only accessible by a treacherous climb down a cliff or by boat presumably. That and the entrance to the cave was nearly invisible.

By this time Edgar and Alan had started down the cliff, but they were going ridiculously slow. I was tempted to go carry them down to speed it up, but somehow I got the feeling they wouldn't appreciate the help. I had to keep walking as I became drowsy whenever I stayed still. Eventually the boys made it to the ground and unhooked themselves from the ropes.

I led them to the tunnel and started down it, only to stop after a few steps as I realised they weren't following me.

"Well?" I asked them.

They looked at each other and I knew what it meant before they had chance to speak.

"You forgot the torches didn't you?" I asked, marvelling at their stupidity.

"They're in the car." Alan answered, sheepishly.

Sighing at their incompetence and wondering, not for the first time, if they were going to be any help at all, I ran out of the tunnel and climbed up the cliff, revelling in the sheer joy of my speed and strength. When I reached the car I picked up the torches, waved them at Sam in response to his unspoken question, and shimmied back down the cliff. I threw the torches at Edgar and Alan when I reached them, and, surprisingly, they managed to catch them before following me into the tunnel, spots of light bobbing at their feet.

I didn't need a torch. I could see better in the dark than I could outside in the glaring light. We made our way down the tunnel without mishap, coming upon the cave sooner than I would have liked. The cave was shrouded in darkness but I found the light switch easily enough and gave Edgar and Alan the illumination they needed to find whatever it is they were looking for.

"These vamps don't travel light." Edgar stated, looking around the room.

"How do they power it?" Alan asked, glancing up at the lights then at me.

"You know, I forgot to ask, electronics was never exactly a hobby of mine." The only response my sarcasm got was an increased frown. "I don't know, they probably tapped into a power line or they've got a generator somewhere, does it matter?"

Alan shrugged his shoulders before joining Edgar on his search of the room. I remained by the entrance, besieged by memories of the nights I'd spent here. The laughter, the drinking and its terrible consequences. Looking back, it all seemed like madness. What had made me go off to a secluded cave in the middle of the night with three complete strangers? And start drinking heavily? I'd never been this reckless, so why now? What was it about those three that had me so enthralled? Or was that just it, the supernatural lure of a vampire? My thoughts were interrupted by Edgar being surly.

"You know you could use those vampire eyes to help us instead of just standing there."

"It'd help if you told me what you were looking for." I replied, not moving from where I was stood.

"Their lair." He retorted, clearly thinking it should have been obvious. I was still in the dark. Looking around I indicated that I'd already led them to the lair.

"This is only the outer area, a place to lure humans to, we need to find out where they sleep. It shouldn't be too far away, a dank cave would be perfect."

The thought flitted through my head that this cave was anything but dank, but I kept it to myself, instead opting to help them search. I knew already we wouldn't find anything. My vampire eyesight told me there was only one way out of this cave and that was the way we'd come in. I wouldn't be able to convince these two of that though so I searched simply to appease them, although I had no idea why I felt the need to. We searched for well over an hour before the boys eventually admitted the vamps didn't sleep here and we headed back out.

It was only as we were leaving the cave and walking down the tunnel that I spotted the much smaller tunnel branching off it. It was hidden in the shadows and no human eyes could possibly have spotted it. My steps never faltered. I knew without thinking that I would never tell the Frogs about this. We would never win if we fought on their ground.

The niggling voice at the back of my head asked if that was the real reason I said nothing, but I ignored it. I wasn't ready to consider the possibility that I was protecting Jari...

Once we were back on the beach they insisted on scouring the cliff face for another opening but it was a fruitless search and I was tiring quickly. Entering the sunlight again had hit me with a wave of fatigue and I was quickly losing patience. Especially seeing as I knew exactly where the vampires sleeping area was. Eventually even Edgar tired of the search and the brothers hooked themselves back onto the climbing gear and started the long climb back up the cliff. I scaled it within seconds and paced at the top in an agony of impatience waiting for them. Sam was disappointed but not exactly surprised that we hadn't found anything, after describing the cave he surmised that these vamps were a lot more organised than the last bunch.

Eventually the other two reached the top and we set off back to mine. All the way back I was kept awake by concentrating on the boys chatter, no matter how inane it was. They came up with ridiculous theories and plans, all of which would come to nothing as they had no idea how to find the vampires in the first place and I wasn't about to divulge any of the information I knew. It seemed rather stupid, bringing them here and then keeping from them the answers they needed in order to help me, yet every time I went to open my mouth to tell them, something stopped me. Damned if I knew what though.

When we reached my house Sam wanted to come in, he was all for setting up a defence in case the vampires tried to come here tonight, but I agreed with the Frog brothers, much as I loathed to do so, that they'd be better off going to do some research and stocking up on supplies then coming back before sunset. So the plan was made and I was left alone wondering why the hell I'd thought that was such a good idea. It wasn't the hunger, that had been strangely dimmed all day. Maybe I just needed some time to think, decide on my own plan of action. Throwing some Turisas on my CD player and turning the volume right up, I threw myself on my bed, turning my mind to the long hours of thinking ahead.

I was asleep in seconds


	13. Chapter 13

"Blast it all to hell!" I shouted upon waking. It was pitch black outside, clearly way past sundown, yet there was no sign of Sam or the amphibians. Getting up I went to turn off the CD, which I'd left on repeat, intent on finding out where the guys were.

"We really don't appreciate you bringing those boys to our cave."

"Geez!" I said, spinning around quickly, my heart racing with shock. "Could you knock, or shuffle your feet or make _some_ kind of noise to announce your presence? Or do you just enjoy giving me heart attacks?"

My remarks were met with stony silence. He was angry. Really angry. But what had I expected? That they'd welcome the intrusion with open arms? Not likely. Still, his anger was frightening, his eyes boring deep into my mind. I didn't know what he was trying to do but I didn't like it, it was invasive. Breaking eye contact, I spoke.

"How did you know?"

"The smell." Jari answered, curling up his nose at the memory. "The cave reeks of food. You don't smell like that anymore, you're too far along."

I glared back in silence, he wouldn't do this to me. I wouldn't let him scare me.

"Why are you fighting this Freya? You can't possibly win." His eyes looked deep into mine once more. I could feel the truth of his words, feel the despair at them invade my soul. Why was I fighting? Why not just make it easy, give in now?

"No!" I screamed aloud, tearing my eyes away, turning my back on him. I struggled to get my breathing under control as I heard him laughing quietly in triumph behind me. I built my anger back up before turning to face him again. It was the only weapon I had against whatever mind tricks he was pulling.

"I'm not going to give in. Those 'boys' have fought vampires before and won, why should this be any different?"

He laughed at my threat, not exactly a comforting response.

"Two reasons Freya. One, those vampires, the Lost Boys." He said with a sneer. "Were to a one less that a decade old. We've got strength and powers they know nothing of and defeating us will be impossible."

"How do you know about the Lost Boys?" I asked, confused.

"Tales like that spread amongst our kind. It's how we learn about new territories and potential threats. That group of vampires were young and naïve, we're not. We know what threat the Frog's pose and it's laughable to ones our age. They're part of the reason we came here, a bit of a challenge after years of easy living in New York." He paused before continuing. "I never thought it'd be so much fun here though." He concluded, giving me a look that sent shivers down my spine and made it very clear he wasn't speaking about Alan and Edgar anymore.

"And the other reason?" I asked, not entirely sure I wanted to know but desperate to distract him, stop him looking at me like that. In hindsight, wrong bloody question.

"The second reason is that when Michael and Star fought, they fought with all they had. They refused to become vampires, willing to die before giving in to that."

He was too close, far too close. He'd been moving forward slowly as he spoke and now he was directly in front of me, looking at me with such hunger that once again I was struggling to breath evenly, this time though, fear had nothing to do with it.

"So how's that any different from me?" I asked, denying the truth even as I knew he was about to speak it.

"Because part of you wants it, craves it." he moved his face closer to mine, his breath playing lightly long my lips.

"You're curious, you've spent your life wandering the world, looking for something, and part of you wonders if maybe this isn't just what you've been looking for all along. It's a new experience and you're tempted, oh so tempted."

He was right, on so many levels. My body screamed to reach out and touch him, but I wouldn't. I had to fight, I knew if I lost this fight, I'd lose them all. Struggling to control my own body I pushed him away. Not as strongly as I had last night, but nevertheless the resistance was there. So why the hell did my mind quote the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy at me, at full volume?

"_Resistance is useless_."

I took a couple of steps forward, moving around Jari, refusing to look at him as I argued with my legs, trying to convince them that they really did want to take another step closer to the door.

The blow from the side took me by surprise and I was completely unprepared to find myself thrown bodily on the bed.

My fight or flight reflex kicked into overdrive. I knew I couldn't escape but damn it I wasn't going to stop fighting, not ever.

As Jari struggled to hold me down I kicked, punched, scratched and generally tried all I could to prevent him from doing so. Disadvantaged as I was, I still managed to hold my own for a few minutes, so great was my fury, before Jari grew tired of fighting and backhanded me across the face. The blow left me dazed, my vision swam and my head screamed with pain for a few seconds blotting out all other sensations. When I once again became aware of my surrounding Jari's lips were already on mine. Thankfully the pain in my head gave me enough focus to not give in. Acting on instinct I bit down hard on his lip, drawing blood. Jari drew back, his eyes blazing in rage before he laughed loudly.

"Now, now little hell-cat. Leave that for the humans."

He leaned down to kiss me again, and when the blood from his lips reached my tongue, I was lost.

His blood lacked the fire of human blood, but it set me alight nonetheless. It was divine and coupled with the lust Jari drew from me, it was too much. My hands reached for him, my lips devoured his blood and his kisses alike. I wanted more, I wanted it all, I wanted...

Air. Why was there air above me? Where the bloody hell was Jari?

Sitting up in a rage I saw Alan and Edgar standing over me, crosses raised. One was pointed at me, which explained the vague heat I could feel shimmering against my face. The other was pointed at Jari who was now crouched on the windowsill, face fully vamped, snarling at the intruders. He took one last glance at me before flying out the window. That left me alone with the Frog brothers and Sam who was lounging in the doorway. Here were three pathetic humans with only crosses to defend themselves with and I was sat here with the taste of Jari's blood still in my mouth. Bloody fools.

I launched myself off the bed, throwing myself bodily at Edgar. He dropped his cross in surprise as I knocked him to the floor and locked my teeth around his throat. Before I could bite down though I felt arms grabbing my shoulders and pulling me off him. The rage shot through me at the nerve and I threw them off me with barely any effort then dived at Edgar's throat once again. Only to be met by searing pain across my right eye.

Clutching my eye I stumbled backward onto the bed. Within seconds the searing pain had faded to a dull ache but I knew without question that I'd been marked. My natural human vanity came to the fore at that, and I turned to the mirror to find a sight that terrified the anger right out of me. Somewhere in the fight with either Jari or Edgar, my vampire half had come to the fore. My eyes shone a sickly yellow, rimmed with red. My teeth were grotesque and my forehead puckered into an unnatural ridge. As the anger vanished, so did my vampire features. I was left staring at my normal face, the only difference being a thin red welt running vertically down the right side of my face, directly over my eye. I stared at my reflection for a few more minutes, reassuring myself that the vampire was gone, I was still me, still foolish, violent, terrified, little me. Who'd almost just killed one of her friends.

I cursed violently at the top of my lungs, thankful my parents weren't here to hear it. Turning, I found the Frog brothers backed against the wall, hatred and fear exuding from them in waves. Sam stood a few feet away from the brothers. There was less anger in his face, but the fear was still there. Fear of me. I was facing three grown men and _they_ were afraid of _me_.

I swore again before picking up a lamp off the table next to me and throwing it hard across the room. It smashed loudly against the far wall but the violence did little to calm my fury. Fury at what I was becoming, at how close I kept coming to losing this battle. I picked up the mirror that still showed the red wound across my eye and hurled it after the lamp. Books and a chair soon followed, but the destruction barely touched my mood. Yelling in frustration I stalked out the door, past Sam, walked down the stairs and collapsed onto the couch in the living room.

For a while I heard murmuring upstairs as they tried to figure out what to do. Edgar and Alan, unsurprisingly, were all for staking me here and now. Sam was trying to convince them that I was back under control. He sounded a lot more confident than I felt. I wasn't sure how much control I had left. The primal blood lust was gone, but the scent of their blood still filled the house, pulling at me to go finish what I'd started. I gripped the arm of the sofa tight as I heard them walk down the stairs.

Their looks told me all I needed to know. They'd stick around, but only because I could help them get close to Jari, Marcus and Dani. A protective urge rose within me. They would NOT get to them! Ah damn it all, why did it have to be so confusing? Jari's words came back to haunt me. "Part of you wants it." I couldn't deny the truth of his words, but what he'd failed to realise was that the bigger part of me refused it, and that was that part that would win.

"So what now?" Sam asked, standing in front of me.

"I have no idea." I answered quietly. Boy was there ever a statement more true than that. I had no idea what to do now, not even a vague clue at how to deal with what I was facing.

"Well, let's go watch Lord of the Rings, maybe it'll give us some idea of how to kill elves." He was trying to ease the tension, I knew this, deep down I even slightly understood it, but his jovial tone struck a cord deep within and the rage erupted again.

"This isn't funny Sam! Do you have any idea how it feels to look at your mother and your friends and want to kill them? You didn't go through this Sam, your brother did, so don't even try and pretend to understand. Maybe if Michael were here he could actually help, but right now you guys are just pissing me off. This isn't an adventure Sam, this is my life!"

"Then lets end this." Edgar stated, turning on his heel and heading for the door.

"You take one more step towards that door Edgar and I promise you, you'll become my first kill!"

His steps halted instantly as he spun to face me once more, anger blazing from his entire body. He reached a hand up behind him to pull a stake from his pack. His hand never got to shoulder level. In a split second I'd moved behind him, thrown both stakes across the room and pinned his arms behind his back with my left hand. Reaching up with my right I grabbed his hair, pulling his head back and exposing his throat. Slowly I leaned towards him before speaking into his ear.

"I am not Michael, do not expect me to be nice. You threaten me once more and I'll snap your neck."

I threw him away from me, watching him stumble before he regained his balance and turned to glare at me.

"This is not a game. These boys are century's older than the last pack you dealt with, and they're incomparably more prepared. They know who you are, they know what you do. You no longer have the element of surprise and if you face them now you'll lose. You'll die and I'll live forever and I _refuse_ to let that happen."

Silence reigned after my outburst. Edgar was still glaring at me, his brother now stood behind him, a clear message that if I attacked I'd be fighting both of them. Not that I would, not now at least. Sam, however, was standing apart from the Frog brothers, clearly his loyalties hadn't yet been decided. I sympathised with him, first his brother, now his friend. Nevertheless, I couldn't help feeling he was a fool, any intelligent person would have left by now. Hell, any intelligent person would have high tailed it out of town at the first sign that vampires had returned.

Laughing, I dropped my defensive stance and dropped back down onto the couch.

"Great, first she threatens us then she laughs." Sam said, following my lead and taking a seat on the chair opposite. Edgar and Alan remained standing, hostility still coming off them in waves.

"I just find it amusing that I've managed to find myself attached to a pack of centuries old vampires and a gang of professional vampire hunters at the same time. You guys really are the hero types."

I glanced over at the Frog brothers.

"Oh sit down, the threatening part's over. Now we've got to figure out what we're going to do."

Edgar and Alan looked at each other, nodded once, and then sat down next to Sam. They never relaxed though, they sat poised, ready to defend themselves should I decide to attack. These boys really had a lot to learn.

As the silence stretched on into the long hours of the night, one by one, the guys fell asleep. There was no point waking them up. If something happened they'd wake up anyway, but I doubted it would. If Jari was going to retaliate tonight he would have done it by now. Best to let them sleep, they still had lives to live during the day.

As for me, I was awake and Sam's snoring was doing my head in. Getting up, I went upstairs to my bedroom and began tidying up the mess I'd made, cringing at the hole Jari had left in my wall last night. My mind was still anxious, worrying about what was to come, but I couldn't see anything more happening tonight and after everything that had already happened I was emotionally wiped out. As a result when I sat down to read, I could actually concentrate. I started off by re-reading the comic that Edgar had given me, but it told me nothing new. Then I started researching vampires on the Internet, thankfully we'd finally been connected yesterday.

The problem was, there was no way of knowing what was true and what was just myth. Burned by sunlight, crucifixes and holy water, that was certainly true. As was being killed by a stake through the heart and decapitation. What about fire though, could it kill them? They could fly, but did they have mind control? Was that one of the 'powers' Jari was talking about? There was no way to know. Frustrated, I gave up and went back to reading simple fiction, attempting to immerse myself in a world that didn't involve vampires.

For a while it worked and eventually I felt my eyes begin to close as the sky began to lighten slightly. Peace in oblivion.


	14. Chapter 14

"Where are they, you fiend from hell?"

Damn you Edgar!

"Where are who?" I asked, struggling to wake myself from my deep slumber.

"Alan and Sam!"

"They're downstairs."

"No they're not."

"What are you talking about?" Okay, so now I was awake.

"They were there when I went to sleep and they're gone now. What have you done to them?"

I got to my feet and ran downstairs, not even bothering to defend myself to Edgar. When I reached the living room it was indeed empty, but something was different. It took me a while to realise it wasn't something I was seeing, but something I was smelling. Jari. Marcus. Dani. They'd all been here. Enhanced sense of smell, well that was one new thing I could add to the 'yes' list of vampiric attributes. So that told me who'd taken Alan and Sam, but not why. Taking me, I could understand. Killing all three boys, I could understand. But taking two of them, it made no sense.

"Well?"

"They've been taken by the vampires, I don't know why."

"Then we need to get them back!" Edgar shouted, grabbing my arm turning me to face him. "Now where have they taken them?"

I could see the anger blazing from his eyes, but underneath that was real fear. This was his brother and friend we were talking about, he was terrified of what may have happened to them. That was the only reason I didn't break his arm for grabbing me like that. Instead, I shook him off easily and tried to think. The only place I could think that would have taken Sam and Alan was to the cave, to wherever it was that second tunnel led to. We hadn't been down there, our scent wasn't there, so they had probably assumed that we didn't know about it. If I were right, they'd think it was safe and we might have a chance to get Alan and Sam back during the day while the vampires slept. Sleep... Damn it, why couldn't Edgar have slept just a few more hours, as it was it was almost 10 o'clock, but my body was demanding I go back to bed. And feed. The scent of Edgar's blood was tormenting the hell out of me. How was I supposed to think when all I wanted was to rip Edgar's throat out then go back to bed?

Okay so now Edgar was looking at me strangely. Right, Sam, Alan, cave. Only plan I could think of right now, it'd have to do. Unfortunately Edgar's stomach decided that was a good point to voice it's own hunger complaint. Not bloody helpful.

"First, you need to eat, because I'm hungry enough and I can't stand listening to your stomach remind me of it constantly."

He started to protest but I was already propelling him towards the kitchen.

"Then we're going to go back to the cave, there's a tunnel leading out off the main one, I think it might lead to their sleeping area."

"When did you find that out?" Edgar asked angrily as I shoved him down into a chair.

"Yesterday when we were leaving."

"Then why didn't you tell us?"

"I don't know. But I'm telling you now. Eat." I said, putting a bowl, some cereal and some milk in front of him, it was the quickest thing I could think of.

"Listen," He said, standing up to face me. "You need to start being straight with me. Those vamps have my brother and Sam and if anything happens to them I'm blaming you and I will stake you, half vampire or whole."

"Eat." I simply stated, struggling to control my anger at his arrogance.

And mine. Why did I ever think they wouldn't come back the same night? Did I really think them that weak? I was going to have to start taking this a hell of a lot more seriously from now on.

Edgar, meanwhile, remained standing, staring me in the eyes for a few more seconds before he sat down, poured himself some cereal and started to eat.

"So what are you going to do?" He asked between mouthfuls.

"What do you mean?" I asked wearily.

"About food, you must be hungry by now."

"You have no idea." I replied. "But I don't know. We need to end this soon, I don't know how long I can keep this up."

It was the honest truth and for once Edgar didn't overreact. He also seemed to have grasped the seriousness of the situation now.

He ate quickly and pushed his bowl away from him when he'd finished. Then he looked at me. He seemed to be contemplating something but I couldn't tell what. Eventually he held his arm out towards me. I was completely baffled.

"What?" I asked.

"Drink." One word, a million connotations.

"What?!" I yelled, jumping backwards. He couldn't possibly know what he was saying.

"Drink. Not a lot, half a pint. I'll be fine without it, but it might dim your hunger, or make you stronger. Whatever, we need to take the risk, I can't do this alone."

"No!" It was halfway to a shout, a struggle between desire and fear.

"Yes, you need..."

"No, Edgar." I cut him off. "You don't understand. If I start, I won't be able to stop, not now, it's too late. I can't just take half a pint, I'll kill you."

"Oh." He said, dropping his arm.

His forehead creased into a frown as he thought the problem over.

"Then I'll bleed into a cup. I fill that, you drink it..."

"And then I kill you anyway. Edgar if I start to drink and you're still here, as soon as I finish the cup I'll want more and here you'll be, an immediate source."

"All right. I bleed into a cup, I drive away, you wait 'til I'm gone, and then drink it. There's no one else around, no other source. By the time you make it to town you'll have calmed down enough not to kill, right?"

I was tempted, so sorely tempted, but the danger was so great. Yet now the idea was out there I wouldn't be able to get it out of my head. Could I go through with the plan without constantly thinking about Edgar's blood? The scent of it was already surrounding me, tempting me, drawing me to it. Would it be more dangerous to try this or to ignore it?

The thoughts went round my head in repeated cycles, but in the end it was simple. Now it had been suggested, I couldn't not try it.

"Okay." I said, struggling to speak through the ever-increasing hunger. "I'm going to go upstairs. If I see the blood, I won't be able to resists, if it's just the smell, I might have a chance. I'm not promising anything Edgar, I don't know if I'm strong enough for this. Keep a stake on you at all times. Once you're done, leave, drive back to town. I'll meet you at the store when I think I'm calm enough."

Edgar's only reply was a nod and then I was gone.

There aren't words to describe the agony of the next few minutes. As I walked up the stairs, every cell of my body was telling me to turn around, go back to the source of blood. I was curled up on my bed when Edgar pierced a vein in his arm a minute later. The scent of his blood was impossibly strong, my body so incredibly attuned to it, that it took everything I had to remain where I was. My hands grabbed the headboard of the bed and I felt the wood crack beneath my fingers. My mind barely registered it, it only half noticed when I ripped the two rungs I was holding out of the headboard and leapt off the bed. It was only as I went to open my bedroom door that I saw the wood in my hands that the confusion gave me a bit of clarity. Hurtling backwards I slammed into the opposite wall, doing even more damage to it, never once taking my eyes off the door, but doing everything in my power just to stay in this room.

The smell of blood dimmed, the flow had stopped. Less than a minute later I heard the house door slam followed by the door of Edgar's truck and then he was driving away. The smell of the blood downstairs taunted me, but I had to give Edgar as big a head start as I possibly could. I began to count the seconds in my head, desperate to distract myself somehow and keep an accurate measure of time. To me, each second seemed to last a lifetime, my body screamed with the pain of withdrawal as I tore chunks out of the wall in frustration.

I managed to make it to four minutes before my hands left the wall behind me and my feet began inching forward towards the door. It was as though my body belonged to someone else, a slave to my craving. I saw myself walking over to the door, unable to stop. I ceased counting and started tracing my family tree in my head, calculating distant cousins and bringing up photographs of long-dead ancestors. My powers of procrastination were honed and powerful, and for a few more minutes my mind games worked.

Yet all too soon, my concentration snapped. I'd given Edgar almost ten minutes, I didn't have the strength for more. In a second I was out of my bedroom, down the stairs and into the kitchen. I drank the blood so swiftly a human would not have been able to see.

The blood. Dear God, liquid fire. An ecstasy of pleasure. A taste so strong, so potent, so vivid. Blood, thick, sweet, fragrant. A release from the hunger, a descent into depravity. More. I needed more. A drop of water is nothing to a man dying of thirst, and so was that cup to me. No conscious thought going through my head, I searched for the nearest source of this red nectar. Edgar, almost to town, driving fast, no longer bleeding, but my body knew his blood now, his scent, I could find him anywhere.

Without conscious thought I was out of the door and running down the road, my feet barely making an impact on the earth, I was almost flying. Such was the pull of the blood that I followed it unthinkingly and in doing so, followed the road to town instead of taking the most direct route through the fields. Nevertheless, I still caught up with Edgar before he reached civilisation.

Overtaking the car I placed myself in the centre of the road, willing to take a collision if need be. As it was, Edgar braked swiftly, the idiot actually stopped to avoid hitting me. Before the car had come to a complete halt I had moved to the driver's door, opened it and yanked Edgar out onto the dirt. His scent overpowered me, I felt dizzy with anticipation. I was ready, I would kill.

In the second that I hesitated, savouring the anticipation, Edgar had come to his senses and as I moved to bite him, went to take all his blood, I felt two things simultaneously. The first I'd felt before; an intense searing pain, but this time against my neck. I felt the skin begin to boil beneath the cross but at the same time I felt the point of a stake pressing against my chest. The shock of both the pain and the threat of death destroyed the blood lust in me. Self-preservation became more important than feeding. With a roar of anger I threw Edgar away from me. As I scooted backwards a few paces away from the immediate danger, I watched Edgar fly backwards and collide bodily with the car. He fell to the ground but was on his feet straight away, glaring at me and wielding the stake and cross menacingly.

We stood there, facing each other, locked in a battle though yards apart. I was trying to decide whether I was fast enough to get to him and remove the weapons before he could stake me, he was no doubt thinking the same. I stared him in the eye and he stared right back. Feisty little bugger. The blood lust began to rise in me again, fuelled by the anticipation of the fight. Every little thing that Edgar had ever done to annoy me passed through my mind, the anger filmed my eyes, removing all other thoughts. My heart began to race in anticipation and Edgar raised his stake slightly higher, moving his feet for more stability. The time to taste Frog blood had…

"You guys really are ugly when you show your true face."

The shock of him speaking cut through the anger and the blood lust and shot straight to my conscious brain. He was talking about looks? At a time like this? What the hell was wrong with him, didn't he know he was in a fight for his life? Yet all of a sudden, he wasn't. As I dragged myself out of my instincts, the blood lust drained from my body. I felt my shoulders slump and my face return to normal as the adrenaline quietened. I no longer wanted his blood, not truly. What blood he'd already given had worked it's magic, and now I was back in control, me, not the monster that lived in my blood. I no longer craved more. The relief was intense and I found myself laughing semi-hysterically.

Edgar stood watching me uncertainly, but the laughter stopped as soon as it had begun and I was left with a terrible feeling of guilt at what I'd almost done. I apologised to Edgar with a voice thick with unshed tears. He accepted the apology, uncharacteristically, but he refused to let me in the car lest this was all a ploy. Telling him that I'd meet him at the shop I set off walking down the road towards town and less than a minute later he overtook me in his car.

The walk to the shop was a long one, but I needed the time to think. For once, my hunger was quiet, completely silent, it gave me the clarity I needed. Clearly Edgar's blood, even such a small amount, had had a profound effect on me. Once the immediate blood lust had passed, I felt nothing. I was content, a feeling I hadn't had in a long time. But more than that, I'd faced the source of that blood when temptation and my desire were at their highest, and I'd won, I'd come through. I was still half human, I hadn't given in. The euphoria at those thoughts shot through my veins and gave me hope. Without the hunger I was more focused, we truly had a chance of winning this now.

With almost a skip in my gait, I walked quickly to the comic book store, not surprised to find Edgar already fully kitted up. He looked like an idiot, it had to be said. Overzealous army look. I mean we were going to a cave down on the beach, how on earth would forest camouflage help? Still, the outfit seemed to bolster his strength, so let him take it how he will.

Edgar spent the next half an hour explaining how each of the weapons worked and what damage they did. Unfortunately my little snack had brought my vampire tendencies to the fore, and all I wanted to do was sleep. I found my eyelids constantly drooping and Edgar's voice was no more than a whine in my head. I couldn't pick out words and by the end of the half hour I was no wiser than I had been at the start. Edgar got sick of my lack of attention and resorted to slapping me but by that time I was so tired I barely even registered it. I was fighting a losing battle and though I managed to get out the words "Wake me in a couple of hours." I was asleep long before Edgar replied.

**A/N Sorry for the delay in updating, I've had a crazy few days. Finally got a few minutes to myself so here you go, I hope you enjoy it. Reviews are always welcome!**


	15. Chapter 15

Burning. Blazing pain scorching my hand. I pulled myself up through the depths of unconsciousness to find Edgar once more holding a cross to my skin. Yanking my hand away, I gazed through tears of pain down at the ruined mess that my hand had become. Anger flared through me but it was short lived, I knew that nothing short of agonising pain would have brought me back to consciousness.

"What time is it?" I asked groggily, waiting for the pain in my hand to subside.

"Two." Edgar replied curtly, clearly the past two hours hadn't passed nearly as quickly for him. "We need to go now if we're going to get there before dark. Now I need to know if you're with me, I can't…"

"Yeah yeah, I'm with you Edgar." I snapped back.

I really wasn't a morning person anymore. Or I guess I wasn't an afternoon person. Either way I was tired and pissed off, though no longer in pain. Looking down at my injured hand I saw only a raw red mark. No burns, no blisters, I could really get used to this fast healing.

Jumping down off the counter I'd been sleeping on, I asked Edgar to go over the weapons again for me. This he did happily. It seems home-made vampire weaponry were his drug of choice. After loading me up with almost as much junk as he had, we head out to the car and set off towards the cave. To say my mind was at odds with itself was an understatement. Setting out to kill the man I had more than a few feelings for was a torment of conflict. Hell if I was honest I loved him and that just made it all the worse. How could I love something I despised? How could I kill that which I loved? So I'm an idiot, I knew that already. Only a complete imbecile could get themselves into the situation I was in now, but how on earth was I supposed to get out of it? Kill Jari. Well that was obvious, what wasn't clear was whether I _could_ kill him, whether I could even let Edgar kill him. That second part I probably didn't have a choice in; they'd taken Edgar's brother, and he certainly had no warm fuzzy feelings for the vamps. Seemed the easy solution really, let Edgar do the hard work and I'll…

When the hell did the caves get so close? So much for time flies when you're having fun, apparently time flies when you're dreading what's coming.

We both got out of the car silently and after checking his weapons, again, Edgar went to get the climbing gear out of the boot. Idiot boy. There was no time for him to be scrambling down the cliff at a snail's speed. Slamming the boot shut, I threw Edgar over my shoulder before he could protest, ran to the cliff and was down on the beach within seconds. Edgar was not as pleased with the process as I was, but other than waving a cross as me menacingly, he remained silent. Professional as ever.

Rolling my eyes at his stealth movements, I led the way to the cave, following the tunnel in the semi-darkness with ease. Edgar had remembered to bring a torch this time and I cringed at the sudden light after my eyes had already adjusted to the dark. My ever-present sunglasses weren't nearly dark enough for the sunlight and but I could just about discard them against the pitiful torchlight. The accelerated healing was fun, these sensitive eyes, not so much.

I found the branching tunnel without incident, but hesitated on the threshold. Could I really do this? A shove from behind told me I didn't have much choice in the matter. Subtlety was not one of Edgar's strong points. I led the way down the tunnel, smiling sadistically at the sounds of Edgar stumbling along behind me, the floor to this tunnel was much less smooth and the pitiful torch light wasn't much help to him. The tunnel wound itself far into the cliff, but it was still much shorter than the one to the main cave.

This one didn't end in a corner, it went straight into a large open space. There was no light either, the cave seemed even darker than the tunnel, only my enhanced vision managed to pick out the edge where the tunnel ended. My steps slowed as I neared the end of the tunnel, dreading the confrontation that lay beyond. Edgar had fallen behind during the long walk, going slower as he picked his way carefully along the uneven floor. By the time I'd slowed down enough for him to catch up we were almost at the entrance to the cave. My heartbeat sped up, though I couldn't tell whether it was with fear or anticipation. Part of me wanted this over, the other part wondered just how much it was going to hurt losing Jari.

As before, Edgar gave me no time to dwell, forcing me forward down the last few steps of the tunnel. Taking a deep breath I stepped into the cave to find… nothing. Absolutely nothing. The cave was empty. They'd clearly been there, the cave smelt of them in a way that told me they'd spent many a day there, but the smell was not recent, they hadn't been there today. And I couldn't smell Sam or Alan, they hadn't been here at all.

I'd been wrong. Jari wasn't stupid and he would never have assumed that just because I hadn't been here that I didn't know about this place. He'd never bring Sam and Alan to any location that I'd have a chance of finding. Punching the wall in frustration I berated myself for all the mistakes I'd made that had led us to this dead end.

Edgar shone his torch over at me as he heard the noise of the wall crumbling, his trademark frown planted firmly on his face. He knew from my expression that I'd screwed up, but he remained silent. His worry for his brother and friend seemed to have dimmed his natural exaggerated personality. For the show of the thing we both searched the cave and then the tunnel thoroughly, but we found nothing. They weren't here, they weren't anywhere near here. The disappointment was bitter and the fear that had been steadily growing since Alan and Sam had disappeared was so thick I could almost taste it. We had run out of plans. I had no idea where else to search and if we couldn't hit them during the daylight we were helpless.

The ride back to the store was silent, both of us lost in our worries. It was only as Edgar went striding purposefully into the shop that I realised he wasn't quite as out of ideas as I was. Reaching under the counter he pulled out a tourist map of Santa Carla that had various marks strewn here and there over it. I let Edgar pore over it for a few minutes before I decided that he clearly wasn't going to speak any time soon. He really did get on my nerves sometimes.

"You know if you tell me what it is you're looking for, I might be able to help." I said, shortly.

I might as well not have spoken. The only indication that he'd heard me at all was a slight deepening of the frown on his forehead. This was ridiculous. I know he blamed me but we were both in this together and if we had any chance of success we needed to cooperate. I considered saying this to him, hell I even considered being nice. In the end I was simply tired of his attitude.

"Edgar!" I yelled, slamming my fist down onto the counter and leaving a crack in the wood.

His head shot up at this, surprise showing clear in them before the usual anger returned.

"Let me help." I said through clenched teeth.

"Like you helped with the cave?" He shot back.

"It was the only lead we had at the time, what else could we do?"

He had no answer to this, just went back to studying the map.

"At least tell me what the hell you're looking for."

"I'm trying to pinpoint other possible locations for the cave." He answered with just as much anger in his voice.

A little voice in my own head told me to calm down, we'd be able to think clearer that way, but Edgar just got me so riled for some reason. Still, a clear head would help.

"How are you doing that?" I asked, my voice slightly quieter than before, but no less tense.

For a few seconds I thought he was going to ignore me again, but then he spoke.

"Vampires prefer dark, dank places that never see the light of day. Vermin, rot, human suffering: it all attracts them. I'm looking to see if I can find any other likely locations for their lair."

"And these marks?" I asked, pointing to some of the places where the map had been drawn on.

"When we first suspected there were vampires back in town, we checked out the old hotel where the last bunch had slept, but it was still empty. After that we started looking at other places. The circles are where we suspect there may be a lair, the crosses are the ones we've already checked out."

Looking quickly around the map I spotted something that worried me.

"Jari's caves, they're not marked on the map."

"No." Short and irritating.

"Then you didn't suspect that as a place for a lair?"

"We didn't even know it existed."

"Then what about the rest of the coastline?" I asked, getting more annoyed by the minute. If they'd not known about those caves, how many other hiding places didn't they know of? "Just how much of it don't you know?"

"Look, we do the best we can, but we can't fly, and a lot of those cliffs are dangerous."

"You fight vampires, how the hell are you scared of abseiling?" Both our anger levels were high now, so much for calm clarity.

"Well Sam didn't…"

"Sam's gone now and we need to get him back!"

"That's what I'm trying to do." Edgar said squaring up to me.

He had spirit I'll give him that, I just wasn't sure it was going to be enough anymore. After a few seconds he gave up and went back to the map.

"These three marks on the coast, the vamps in this town seem to like caves so we should check these out first. I propose…"

"I propose you sleep." I interrupted him. "The sun will be setting soon so we can't go out there tonight and you need get some rest."

"What if they attack?"

"I'll be standing watch." I answered.

"Like you did last night?" He asked sarcastically.

"Last night was different." I said through a clenched jaw. "Your blood has made me more of a vampire, I can feel myself getting more awake already, I'll be fine tonight. Sleep. If they come I'll wake you, but you need rest."

He opened his mouth to argue but one look at my eyes told him it would be a waste of his breath. Grabbing as many weapons and raw materials as we could, we loaded up Edgar's truck and then set off back to my house. Edgar's parents were at his house and there wasn't anywhere in the store comfy enough for him to sleep, so my house was the best option. Edgar never said it but I knew part of the reason that he didn't want to go home was that he didn't want to risk leading the vampires there. He'd already had a brother taken, he didn't want to lose his parents too.

The drive to my house seemed to take no time at all, so lost was I in my own thoughts. I'd brought the map with me and used the time to study it. Edgar was right, as much as I hated to admit it, the three caves he knew of stood the best chance of being lairs, but I still wasn't convinced. It seemed unlikely that Jari and the boys would choose a cave so easily discovered by people. Their last cave was so unreachable, no doubt they'll have chosen somewhere similar as a back-up cave.

My thoughts were interrupted as we arrived at my house, a bare ten minutes before the sun set. I helped carry the weapons into my parent's bedroom. I didn't want Edgar in my room, but he needed a proper bed to sleep on and I wasn't leaving him alone. It was still quite early so he refused to go to bed yet and we both used the raw materials to make more weapons; stakes, home-made booby traps, holy water balloons.

"Where'd you get the holy water?" I asked when he'd brought out a large container of it.

"I steal it from the church a flask at a time."

"Stealing from church? If you weren't using it to fight evil that would be a direct route to hell." I teased him. "It's a shame though, maybe you should make friends with a priest, induct him to your holy cause."

Okay so now I was flat out taking the piss, but if it lightened the mood it was good enough for me.

"I tried." There was no joviality in his voice, apparently his mood was more difficult to lighten than mine. "He accused me of being a subject of Satan, trying to lure him away from his calling."

I couldn't help but laugh, despite the evil look Edgar threw me. No doubt he'd gone in all guns blazing, sounding like a mad man with talk of vampires. Still, it was an interesting idea.

"Why not become one yourself?" I asked him.

"A priest? Wouldn't that involve years of training?" He said sarcastically.

"Not necessarily. Get ordained online. Fill in a few forms and voilà, instant priest."

The look he gave me was piercing, which only served to amuse me all the more. Now that the sun was down I was a hell of a lot less tired and it had improved my mood no end.

"I'm serious, you can become an online minister. It might not work but it'd be worth a shot surely."

I got no answer, but I hadn't really expected one, Edgar simply went back to his holy water bomb making. The hours passed in a flurry of preparation and it didn't seem long until Edgar was tired enough to sleep. He lay awake for a while, worry for his brother and friend no doubt chasing sleep away, but eventually his breathing took on the even rhythm of sleep. The sound was heaven to my ears. No more frowning, no more disapproval, no more annoying little quips. Peace and quiet. I could only pray it lasted. I could not be held responsible for my actions if he started snoring.

When I'd made all the new weapons I could, I went back to studying the map. My senses were so good I could see the most minute detail in the printing, but without knowing the actual area, I couldn't really find any more potential spots. I soon got bored of looking at the map and started wandering around the room. My senses were so high it was almost intoxicating. I longed to get out, to run, to hunt, to use my new supernatural gifts, but I didn't dare leave Edgar. I went as far as my own room to pick up some music and some books, but for the rest of the night I couldn't settle. I was restless and constantly expecting an attack that never came. My body desired a fight but my mind was still torn. I found myself jumping from one activity to another, caught constantly on edge. It was with great relief that I saw the first rays begin to peek over the horizon. For now we were safe. As the sun hit the house I was hit with a wave of exhaustion and decided to crawl into my own bed and sleep for as long as Edgar would allow. The vampires were trapped in their hideout now, there was no need for me to stand watchdog any more. With a small sigh of contentment I lay my head on my pillow and was instantly in a deep sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

It was a smell that brought me back to consciousness. Dragging me through the depths of sleep, my body demanding I give it the attention it needed. It was still a struggle, the sun was high in the sky and my mind fought to return to sleep, but in my end my instincts to feed won. I didn't even open my eyes as I got out of bed, using my other senses to guide me to the scent coming from downstairs. My body moved without me thinking about it, going into the kitchen, moving around the still unfamiliar furniture with ease. I was surprised and pleased at my new abilities but my thoughts were soon distracted as I picked up the glass on the table and the now familiar taste of blood hit my tongue. My eyes shot open as my body reacted to the blood. My every sense, dulled by sleep, were suddenly heightened. The pleasure shot through my veins and once the glass was drained I felt the desire sweep through as before. But it was lessened now. A regular dose of blood seemed to be easing the inborn instinct to kill. Nevertheless, it was still a great struggle just to stay where I was. I could sense that Edgar was nowhere near, there was nothing human between here and town. Without the immediate temptation things were easier, but it was still difficult to remain standing in the kitchen.

As the minutes passed, my hunger quietened and soon I was fully under control. I'd never appreciated Edgar as much as I did at that moment. Clearly he'd known the best way to wake me was blood, but it had taken time to drag me to consciousness, given him time to get back to the store and allow me to get myself under control. He was a smart boy that one, smarter than I'd given him credit for. I vowed to give him a break, but something told me his annoying habits would come to the fore again soon enough.

I ran to the store, enjoying being able to move through the fields at full speed, thankful that my parents had chosen such a secluded spot to live in so that I didn't have to worry about being seen. I slowed to a jog as I reached the town and then slowly strolled through the door of the shop, not wanting to alarm Edgar. Of course this is Edgar and he jumped back and armed himself when I entered anyway, but it didn't take long to convince him I wasn't a threat. I even managed to thank him for the blood he left, aren't I nice.

As before the intake of blood left me needing sleep but Edgar awoke me a scant hour later demanding we set off to check out the suspected caves immediately. Suddenly all my good will towards him went straight out the window. Being up in the daylight was bad enough, but I was surviving on only a few of hours sleep a day and it was not doing me much good at all. I dozed off again in the car but was soon given another good old boiling skin wake up call. We considered splitting up, Edgar taking the caves he knew of and me taking the unknown coastline. In the end it just didn't make sense. If Edgar did manage to find the lair, he couldn't take the vampires on himself, so he'd have to waste time finding me. We decided to simply work our way along the coast. For the caves with easy access, Edgar came with me, but a lot of the time I was alone down on the beach, scouring the cliffs for openings.

I enjoyed the solitude, tiring as it was. The last few days had been beyond stressful and Edgar wasn't making it any easier. It felt good to be alone with my thoughts, but as the day wore on and we saw no sign of the vampires or the boys, my spirits began to wane. Sam and Alan could be dead already, we had no way of knowing what had happened to them, and the longer we went without finding them, the worse the results were likely to be. I still couldn't fathom out why Jari had taken them, what possible purpose could he have for them. Ransom? He'd give them back if I kill? It made no sense. None of this made any sense. If they were going to kill them surely they'd have killed all three and left me their bodies. If they intended to use them to get me to kill well then why wait? I was missing something, something big, but the more my mind went round and round in circles, the less it made sense.

Eventually the sun began to set and it was too dangerous to remain out here in the open. I ran back along the beach and up the cliff to find a furious Edgar waiting for me at the top. My musings had kept me distracted and I hadn't realised just how late it was. Edgar drove us quickly back to the store, racing the last of the daylight all the way and asking a lot of stupid questions at the same time. No, funnily enough I hadn't found the cave. Did he not think that I might have told him had I found anything? The lack of discovery was frustrating to me too, but there were simply too many possible places for them to hide, the chances of us ever finding their lair was extremely remote. I said none of this to Edgar however, his worry was growing by the second anyway. His brother and friend had been gone for two days now and we had no clue as to what was happening to them.

We reached the store some five minutes after the sun had set. Edgar was angry with me for making us late, I was angry with him for making us detour via the store for more supplies. We already had a cache of weapons at the house, we clearly didn't need more. Not that anything I said made any difference to what Edgar did.

We sounded like an old married couple. I couldn't help but laugh at the thought, which earned me another glare from Edgar as he began pooling supplies on the counter. I didn't care though. Once again the sun had set, I was alive and damn it I was happy.

At that point the door to the shop opened. Neither of us looked up, Edgar simply shouted at them that the store was closed and they needed to leave, but apparently they had no intention of doing so.

"Aw come on now Edgar, is that any way to speak to a friend?"

My head shot around to look at the figure in the doorway and my jaw dropped in shock. Of all the scenario's I'd envisioned, I hadn't even come close. Sam and Alan stood just inside the entrance to the shop, but it wasn't them. All those minute details I now knew to look for stood out a mile. Pale faces, dark eyes, long fingernails. I heard Edgar leap over the counter and come to stand by my side, but neither of us were paying attention to the other. We were both focused completely on the two in front of us. They'd been turned. Alan, Sam, they were gone, their bodies inhabited by filthy fucking vampires and I still couldn't figure out why!

"What, no hugs?" Sam said, holding out his arms in a grotesque gesture of friendship.

"What happened?" Edgar, all business as always. No emotion, other than his trademark anger.

"The inevitable."

The arrogant grin on Sam's face was infuriating. How dare he look so pleased with himself over something so tragic? And tragic it was. They weren't half-vampires, they'd killed, there was no going back. They'd never be human again. I didn't know what had happened, but I knew they were lost to us, and I knew what we had to do, though the thought caused a lump to form in my throat.

"Things are finally how they were always meant to be." Sam continued, his grin hardening my heart for the task ahead. He was already beginning to get on my nerves.

"Almost." Alan this time.

I noticed his eyes were on Edgar, as they had been since they'd come in. I could see his intentions and I damn well wasn't going to let that happen. I'd lost two of them and as much as Edgar annoyed me, I wouldn't lose him too.

"What. Happened?"

Edgar spoke through clenched teeth this time, his anger barely controlled as he faced the monster his brother had become.

"They took us, they gave us blood. Last night we killed and today we're whole." Alan's tone was deadpan as always. Even as I could see the thrill of his new life in his eyes, his voice revealed none of the excitement I knew he was feeling. Sam on the other hand…

"We're strong. Fast, immortal, powerful. This is the life Edgar. One night, that's all it takes."

"You were that weak you couldn't even resist one day?" I shot back at him, mocking him, angry that my friends had let me down, angry because I knew it was my fault.

"Now, now Sam," Jari said, appearing from behind Sam and restraining his arm as it shot out towards me. "I told you to learn to control that temper."

For a second I stood staring at him, not knowing which desire was stronger, that to kiss him or that to kill him.

"It's not his fault Freya. See you, we gave you a few little doses, spread out over a few days. That way you change slower, the blood has longer to work before you kill, it makes you stronger. Whereas these boys," He continued, releasing Sam's arm and placing a hand on his shoulder. "We gave a rather large dose so they had no resistance to it. The blood had less time to work so they're weaker, yet they couldn't help but kill with that amount of our blood in their system."

"Why?" I asked.

The anger and desire fought within me for control. Every glance at Sam and Alan fuelled my anger, but every gesture of Jari's fuelled the desire. Sometimes I hated being female.

"Punishment." There was no mirth in Jari's face now. "You resisted for too long, you fought too hard. You _will_ lose Freya, but every day you resist, the worse it's going to be for you. First I turned these two, next I'll kill him." Jari said, nodding at Edgar. "You will kill Freya, you will become one of us."

"And if I don't?" I would not back down. Sure there was a slight waver in my voice but I was still strong enough to stand up to him.

Jari leaned in closer to my face before answering.

"Then one by one, every single person you know and love will die."

Fear shot through me at his words, mingled with the grief that was finally beginning to show its face. Sam and Alan were already gone, as good as dead, and their loss was going to hit me like a sledgehammer as soon as I let it in. But what next? Edgar? My parents? How much more did I still have to lose?

Jari's sadistic smile increased in intensity as he saw me begin to doubt myself and Dani and Marcus chose that moment to enter the shop. Dani strode past us all and sat himself down on the counter, fingering the weapons with a morbid fascination, whilst Marcus lounged in the doorway, blocking all escape. Not that we'd actually try to escape, even without him we still had three other vampires between the exit and us. Those are not the kind of odds I like playing with. I'm a strictly one on one girl.

"So," Jari continued. "Let's stop this foolishness right now. You can't hold out forever, I'm actually rather surprised you've lasted this long, but sooner or later you will give in, why put it off? Why let more people die for nothing? Why risk your parents lives?"

That last comment shot a barb right through my heart. My parents were away for now, but they'd soon return, how could I put them in that kind of danger, how could I allow them to die when I could prevent it? Of course the first thing Alan had done once turned is come find his brother so who's to say that my parents would be any more safe should I turn now?

"We left Edgar alive for a reason." Jari said, his face turning cold at the words. "He's going to die anyway, he may as well be your first. Rest assured Freya, he's not leaving this room alive. You can't save him, just like you couldn't save that guy on the beach. So just give in now and save yourself a lot more heartache."

His words seemed to fill my head, pulling all my rational thoughts apart. He'd been right, that night in my bedroom, I did want this, more than I was willing to admit to myself. And I couldn't let my parents die, nothing was worth that. And if Edgar had to die anyway then why shouldn't it be me? Why should Jari kill him only for me to have to kill someone else? It made no sense. None of this made any bloody sense! Why was I even contemplating killing Edgar? I'd lasted this long, and the bloodlust was quiet now, Edgar's small donations had already done wonders. I could carry on like this for a long time. I would not give in!

With a force that surprised even myself I lifted my hand and slapped Jari straight across the face.

**A/N Dun, dun, duuun. Okay so, short chapter, well half a chapter really, but it's a pretty long one in all and I am _not_ breaking up the next bit so here I finish for now, and hey, this was an exciting half-chapter... wasn't it? Come on people, let me know what you think. I completely changed my style of writing on this story and I really, really would appreciate some feedback. Pretty please with a cherry on top and all that lark...**

**Well, rest of chapter should be up in a few more days, hope you enjoy it!**


	17. Chapter 17

My hand stung with the impact but the slight pain gave me that little bit more clarity, cleared out the cobwebs Jari had placed in my head with his hypnotic words.

For a few seconds there was silence, mostly shocked silence, but if the expression on Jari's face was anything to go by, there was more than a little anger in there too. He recovered quickly though and hit me around the face hard enough to send me flying backwards, crashing violently into the counter next to Dani. Had I been any more human the blow would no doubt have broken both my jaw and my back, as it was, after a few seconds of agony, I was back on my feet. And now I was really angry. This asshole had come into my life, made me fall in love with him, tried to turn my into a vampire, turned two of my friends into vampires, had threatened to kill my parents and Edgar, and now was hitting me! I'd had enough.

Jari's face still showed anger, but his mouth was an arrogant smirk. Dani and Marcus both seemed at ease but Sam and Alan now looked troubled. I wasn't worried about them though, they were still too new to be a real threat. Jari, Marcus and Dani, however, they were a different matter. I did have one slight advantage though. They hadn't been expecting me to embrace my powers, and that was a mistake that was to prove fatal. They knew I was still human, that much was obvious to see, but they didn't know I'd been feeding. Even the small amount of blood I'd drunk over the past few days had helped increase my vampiric powers. They'd come here expecting to face a human and a half vampire that was half starved. Boy were they wrong.

With a burst of speed and strength previously unknown to me, I picked up a stake from the counter beside me and thrust it straight into Dani's chest. His face registered only shock for a moment and all the others in the room turned to face him, to watch in disbelief as his shock turned to horror.

Although the stake had been travelling at some speed, Dani remained where he was, sat on the counter. The blood began spurting out in impossible quantities, thick and warm and red, covering every surface within a five-foot radius. The blood that spattered on me did not fill me with desire though, it filled me with revulsion. This was not a meal, it was the destruction of my own kind, a vile betrayal of my very core. The anger welled up in me, but it was no longer directed towards Jari, it was towards myself. The anger of a coward who sees themselves as such. I hated what I was, desired the conflict to end. I wanted to be one or the other. How could I kill Jari if I felt this bad just killing Dani?

The point was irrelevant a few seconds later as Marcus launched himself at me. Gone was the gracious host, the humorous friend. Before me was a fiend from hell who's only desire at this point seemed to be to rip my throat out. I reacted purely on instinct, spinning out of the way and using Marcus's own momentum to throw him into the shelves of comics at my back. As Marcus fell, Edgar seemed to come out of his reverie. I watched as he grabbed a stake off the pile on the counter and threw himself on top of Marcus. I was about to grab another weapon and help him, but Jari joined in the fight at that point. Another crushing blow hit my face, flooring my instantly and causing a rainbow of stars to dance in front of my vision. I'd barely regained my senses when I felt myself being dragged to my feet and found myself once again facing Jari. I was soon on the floor after another blow to the face and two fists in the stomach. As before Jari dragged me back to my feet within seconds.

I had no time to react, no time to think, no time to defend myself. Jari was incredibly powerful, he had strength and speed I couldn't even comprehend. I'd managed to kill Dani simply because he hadn't been anticipating it, but facing a vampire in full attack mode, I had no chance. If he wanted me dead, I was powerless to stop it. That didn't seem to be his desire though.

As he pulled me from the ground once more, he dragged my face close to his. Close enough to see deep animal yellow of his eyes, see every detail of his distorted vampire face.

"Why do you keep fighting this?" He growled through clenched teeth. "You cannot win."

With those words he hit me once again and this time darkness enveloped me. Half vampire or not, I was still part human, and there was only so many blows to the head I could take before I lost consciousness. I was out for a mere few seconds though, waking to find myself once more on my feet but this time my lips were locked around someone else's. Desire, pure and undiluted shot through me as I embraced that which I should despise but loved all the same. I could hear shouting in the background and sounds of combat. None of it mattered though, not now I had Jari in my arms once more.

The blow this time was stronger than all the rest and sent me flying into the counter, the momentum carrying me over it in a grotesque back flip. When I landed on the floor behind it, in a pool of Dani's blood, every part of my body burned with pain. I could feel myself growing weak and knew time was running out. The anger at my weakness of moments earlier shot through me and I fed it with all the memories of what these bastards had done to my friends and me. Vowing to fight back, to not give in like a coward. I lurched to my feet, taking in the scene before me in an instant.

Jari stood in the same place, watching in surprise as I got to my feet. There was no sign of either Sam or Alan but Edgar lay on the floor on his back at the far end of the shop. A trail of comic books and broken shelves lay leading up to him and Marcus was kneeling over him, his hands on Edgar's throat, leaning over him with an open mouth. I had less than a second to do something before Edgar was bitten and without thinking I picked up the first thing I could get my hands on. Apparently throwing a cross at the back of a vampires skull will give them enough of a burn to distract them. I had enough time to see Marcus turn to face the source of the cross and Edgar use the distraction to throw the vampire off him, before Jari launched himself over the counter at me, knocking me backwards onto the floor.

The punches rained down on me with quick succession, every strike punctuated with a word as Jari strained to speak through his anger.

"Why. Are. You. Still. Fighting?"

He paused for a few seconds, pulling my head off the ground by my hair to look at him. As I gazed up through a haze of blood, my blood, I couldn't see the man I'd first met. That charming, flirtatious man I'd fallen in love with against all my better judgement. The man I was looking at now wasn't even a man, he was a monster, and that was exactly what I why I was fighting.

"I will not become like you." I forced out, spitting blood into his face as I did so.

With a howl of rage Jari got to his feet. I didn't even have the strength to sit up, not that it would have done any good. Grabbing me by the front of my top, Jari lifted me up bodily and threw me across the counter once again. I don't know whether his aim was off or whether he intended it, all I felt was the intense pain as my spine hit the corner of the cash register, hurling it off the counter and into an already decimated comic stand as I followed it and tumbled to the floor.

For a few seconds I lay there waiting for the pain to subside enough for me to move. I knew then that I'd lost. I would not kill, nothing would make me do that, but Jari wouldn't give in, he would not allow me to get away with this. If I didn't kill tonight, he'd kill me, and though the thought terrified me, part of me was relieved; at least then it would be over. No more conflict, no more fighting, just peace, a release.

Dragging myself up, I managed to sit, ignoring the intense pain running through most of my body, and was shocked by the sight that met my eyes. Jari was still standing behind the counter, glaring down at me in anger, his face and clothes were spattered with blood, mine and Dani's no doubt, but I could still see that confusion marred his face. Clearly he couldn't understand why or how I was still fighting. Well let him wonder, bastard.

I had more important things to worry about. Edgar and Marcus were still scuffling down the far end of the shop. Edgar had managed to grab the cross I'd thrown and so was holding his own, but there was no way he could possibly win. All the rest of the weapons were on the counter and unless I could get… The counter!

Where the cash register had been I'd expected to see an empty space, instead the comics that had been next to it were strewn around, mixed in with some of the weapons and were already forming a quite significant blaze. The cash register wasn't exactly new and somehow as I'd knocked it off a fire had started. How was not important, all that mattered was that a counter full of comics was now on fire. As if fighting off two vampires weren't difficult enough!

As I watched, the pool of Dani's blood that was spread over the counter and the floor set alight too and soon what was left of his corpse was burning brightly. The heat became intense within seconds but through the added fear, I saw Jari back quickly away from the flames. So apparently vampires could be killed by fire, there's another tick on the check-list.

Keeping one eye on Marcus and one on Jari I tried to formulate a plan but the blows to the head appeared to have done some damage and all I could do was go over the multiple dangers I now faced. So it turns out I'm not so good in emergencies, but standing here like an idiot was not going to help. I looked up to see Jari glaring at me, but Dani's burning body had turned into a wall of flames between me and my foe. Damn stupid word for a guy I was in love with, but right now, it was fitting.

Snarling in rage Jari tried to circle around Dani's corpse, but the flaming blood had begun to ignite more comic books and the blaze kept him away. Realising I had a small chance I grabbed a now burning stake off the counter and turned to face Marcus and Edgar. I could feel the blood drain from my face in terror at the scene I was presented with. No longer was Edgar holding his own, no longer was he holding the cross. Instead Marcus had overpowered him and even as I watched his sank his teeth into Edgar's neck. I watched, unable to move as fear and guilt washed over me. I'd lost. Edgar was dead, I had no one left to fight with me.

Yet even as I watched, Edgar's arm rose up in a final attempt to fight off the fiend that was draining the life from him. Calling on the last reserves of my energy I launched myself at Marcus, throwing him bodily off Edgar. I barely had time to get to my knees before Marcus knocked me flat on my back and proceeded to try and bite me. Through the blood lust he didn't appear to be able to distinguish between human and half vampire and I'd become prey to him just as surely as Edgar was. In the struggle I'd lost my stake so all I could do was try my best to throw Marcus off me and try and retrieve it. As I pushed him away with one hand, I drew the other arm back to punch him, but I never managed to land the blow. Marcus let out an almighty shriek before exploding. He literally exploded. All over me.

Gagging as pieces of flesh and globs of blood entered my mouth, I turned over and heaved the meagre contents of my stomach onto the shop floor before looking up to find Edgar knelt over me holding a stake. Clearly he'd been the one to cause Marcus's little exploding act. The relief at having another vamp gone was short lived as a horrific scream rang out of the shop and Jari's rage overcame his fear of the fire. With one swift leap he was over the flames and heading my way. I didn't think, I didn't plan, I just reacted, and in hindsight, all hail my reflexes.

My hand automatically sought a weapon, grabbing hold of the cross Edgar had dropped before, now broken to leave the longest stick sharp, a perfect improvised stake despite the uncomfortable heat I felt holding it. As Jari leaped at me I rolled my body weight, forcing him sideways and jumping on top of him as he landed. My legs straddled his upper body, my new unnatural strength combining with his shock and rage to allow me to pin him to the floor and my arms flew down, the broken cross aimed straight at his chest.

My head held no thoughts, my body was reacting in the only way it knew, defending itself through attacking the source of danger. My arms knew how to deliver the killing blow and my mind had no input in the matter. My heart was another thing though. As the makeshift stake descended to his chest, Jari's eyes went wide, his face relaxed, a vision of shock and innocence. For a moment I saw the man he'd been when I first met him, I saw the goodness in him, buried deep down, released in this moment of death and the love within me flared.

The stake pierced his skin but went no further. There was no breaking of ribs as there'd been with Dani, no resistance from his body, only a weakening of mine. For a second I no longer saw the monster beneath me, only a man, the object of my affection. I lost the strength I needed to end this, lost the determination to kill. My hands released the cross and it fell to the ground with barely any noise. For a few seconds I stared at Jari as he stared back, then suddenly his lips were on mine and all else was forgotten. For a moment, a bare few seconds, I felt peace, felt happiness, felt whole, yet it was shattered all too soon. In one smooth movement Jari threw me off him, got to his feet, leaped over the now ferocious fire and ran out of the door.

I lay on the floor in shock, gazing through the flames at the exit, trying to comprehend what had just happened. I'd failed, that's what had just bloody happened. For all the preparation, for all the fighting, I'd failed. Dani and Marcus were dead and as they'd died so had a part of me, but Jari was alive and so I was still part vampire. I'd had blood from all three of them, I knew that now, there was no head vampire, only multiple sources, and as long as Jari still lived, I could never be human.

I felt the tears begin to run down my cheeks, despair at what I still was, grief over those I'd lost, both human and vampire, and fear over what was to become of me now.

"You know you could do something useful and get us out of here."

His voice was weak but as irritating as ever yet the sound of it gave me a ray of hope. Looking round I found Edgar laid on the floor not three foot from me, bleeding profusely but clearly still alive. Struggling to my feet, fighting through the pain and exhaustion, I managed to pick up Edgar but as I looked towards the exit, it didn't look good. We were surrounded by fire, comic books, blood, corpses, everything burned. I glanced around quickly but could see no exit other than that we'd come in. Getting a better grip on Edgar I braced myself against the pain each movement was bringing and launched myself up onto the top of the nearest comic book stand. I couldn't completely escape the fire, but this was the highest point in the store I could stand, so it seemed the best shot. Running along the top of the stand, I marvelled at my balance whilst simultaneously praying the stand didn't give in under the combined weight of Edgar and me. When I reached the area of the fire I took an immense leap of faith, felt the scorching heat beneath me and then I was back on the stand and running again. Within seconds I'd leapt down from the stand and was out into the cool evening ocean air.

I collapsed in both exhaustion and pain, feeling every blow from Jari, every injury from my multiple falls and every scorch mark from the fire and from Marcus exploding. I struggled to get my breathing under control, lying there unwilling to even open my eyes. What I forgot was that it was still early evening and I was lying in the middle of the boardwalk. Not the best idea I've ever had. As the sounds around me finally began to penetrate my overwhelmed mind, I opened my eyes and sat bolt upright. We were already surrounded by a large crowd, no doubt drawn by the fight and the fire. My first worry was that they'd seen Dani and Marcus die, but the thought went out of my head just as quickly. In a town like Santa Carla, a town which turned it's head away from many an unpleasant disappearance, they'd figure out a rational way to explain it. There weren't going to be any vampire discoveries tonight. And that included me.

As I heard the distant sounds of sirens I looked around at where Edgar lay next to me. He was unconscious now, still bleeding from the wound in his neck. He needed the hospital, but I couldn't be taken there, I couldn't risk them finding out what I was. Ripping the bottom half of my top off, I wadded it up and pressed it against his neck in an attempt to slow the blood flow long enough for the paramedics to help him. Grabbing the hand of the nearest bystander I forced it onto Edgar's neck, telling them the keep the pressure on, and then I was gone. Moving slowly enough to avoid frightening people, but fast enough to stop them detaining me, I ran.


	18. Chapter 18

I aimed for the path of least resistance, found myself on the now deserted beach and just kept going. My injuries were already beginning to heal, but the pain that I still felt kept me focused. I concentrated on the pain, concentrated on running, concentrated on anything except what had just happened. As the pain began to lessen though, the accelerated healing was only another reminder. Bits and pieces kept creeping up on me as my concentration lapsed. My mind gave me glimpses of memory, isolated shots of the previous hours horror. Sam and Alan's faces kept flashing across my vision. Dani's corpse, bloody and burning. Edgar, covered in blood.

Once the tears started, they wouldn't stop. My legs gave up their hectic pace and I stumbled to the ground, collapsed in a heap of tears as the grief over the loss of Sam and Alan really hit me. They were gone, for all their bodies were walking around, no doubt run off at the first sign of danger, my friends were dead. The grief mingled with guilt and the pain inside increased immeasurably. Had I never come here, they wouldn't have been so personally involved, they wouldn't have been turned. If I'd just stayed away, Sam and Alan would still be alive, Edgar wouldn't be on his way to hospital.

My heart also grieved for the loss of Dani and Marcus. They'd been a part of me, their blood had occupied my body for so long now, it had changed me. For a while they'd been my friends but the loss of something inside me, that physical part of them that had been destroyed when they died, tore me apart.

For a long while I knelt on the sand sobbing, unable to think other than to grieve, but eventually my tears were quietened. I knelt in silence for a while, my mind blessedly still after it's outpouring of pain. I don't know how long I stayed there but at some point I lurched to my feet and started walking blindly.

I wandered the beach for the entire night, seeing nothing, just going over and over in my head everything that had happened. Sam was dead. Alan was dead. Dani and Marcus were actually dead and Jari was gone.

I felt responsible. In the beginning I'd just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but then I'd dragged Sam and Allan in and now they were dead. As good as dead anyway.

I kept going over everything, trying to see where it had all gone wrong, how I could have changed things, playing that most futile of games, 'what if'. What if I'd not moved here, what if I hadn't gone to the boardwalk that night, what if I hadn't gone to the cave, got drunk? What, bloody, if? And they weren't even all my 'what ifs'. What if Sam's dog hadn't decided to harass me? What if Sam hadn't taken me to meet the Frog brothers? What if they hadn't shown me the comic book? What, fucking, if!

It was a dangerous game and kept leading my thoughts around in circles, my frustration increasing at each turn. At one point I punched the cliff face, breaking most of the bones in my hand in an attempt to vent my anger. It didn't work and the pain wore off far too quickly. I needed the pain, deserved it. It kept me distracted, but within minutes I could feel the bones begin to heal, just as all my previous injuries of the night had. I considered doing it again, but the accelerated healing was just another reminder of what I was. Or more truly, what I wasn't. I wasn't human so I couldn't go back to my family. And I wouldn't join Jari, I wouldn't kill. So where does that leave me? Stuck in the middle and thoroughly alone.

Ooh self pity, that's really going to help.

I threw myself onto the beach, sick of walking back and forth and lay on the cold sand looking up at the stars in the pre-dawn sky. So where do I go from here? I can't go home. Sam and Alan were punishment for my defiance, but who's to say Jari wouldn't come back and go for my parents like he promised? No. Safer for them if I'm not around. Plus, I couldn't pass this off as an illness anymore. I was almost entirely nocturnal now, although I could be conscious in the day, it took an awful lot to drag me from sleep. Plus there was my strange new diet, my mum would notice my lack of eating. No, couldn't go home. So where could I go? Where in this crazy, messed up world did a half vampire, half human fit? Nowhere and that was the problem. As long as I was stuck in between, I'd always be alone. Lying there on the beach, staring up at the stars, I could feel the loneliness encroach, the countless years ahead stretching forth in an agony of solitude.

I could survive this way for countless years no doubt, living on small infusions of blood where I could find it, but I'd never be truly alive. This was no way to exist. So I had two choices. Kill, become a true vampire and rejoin Jari. Never again would I have to be alone, but always would I be bound to the rules and life of a vampire. The horror, the murder... No, I would not submit to that, not while I was still strong enough to fight. So the other option, kill Jari. Was I strong enough for that? I didn't know, but I at least had to try. I couldn't just lay here on the sand forever. And then there was Sam and Alan. They were vampires now, part of the enemy. I owed it to the friends they had been to at least try and release them from this life. Well I owed it to Sam anyway. And my conscience. That nagging little voice that said that if I'd never come here, they might still be human.

So there you go. A vague outline of an idea of a plan at best, but it was all I had. Find Jari. Maybe he'd just kill me and be done with it, but at least it'd be over. Who knows, maybe I'll even find him, kill him and have my own little happy ending. Doubtful, very doubtful, but a girl's got to hope right?

Jumping to my feet I started dusting off the fine layer of sand still stuck to me. I was full of energy now that I'd made a decision. Glancing out at the shore I realised I'd have to wait though, the sun wasn't far off rising. Using the full extent of my speed and strength I ran all the way back to my house and collapsed on my bed, anticipating the beginning that tomorrow would bring, glad to finally be getting out of Santa Carla. A place which had caused me so much misery in the short time I'd been here. It was only as I was closing my eyes to sleep that I groaned at the realisation that I'd have to see Edgar one more time before I left. Then I was unconscious.

**A/N One more chapter to go people...**


	19. Chapter 19

I awoke to find the sun already low in the sky. With no blood and no pain to wake me, I'd slept much as a normal half vampire would. I still had a couple of hours of sunlight left though and I had a lot to do in that time. Getting up, I took a look around at my room and grimaced at the sight that greeted me. From the various fights and my attempts at not killing Edgar, it was a mess; the bed was broken, the walls had huge holes in it… I couldn't leave this for my parents, they'd never believe I was safe if they came home to this.

Starting on my first task of the day I rang a plasterer to fix the wall, ordered a new bed, identical to the old one, and arranged for the old one to be taken away. That done I set about tidying the rest of the house, making sure things would be as normal as possible for when my parents returned. Then I sat down to the hardest task of all. Up until this point I'd tried not to think of what I was doing, of what it would do to my parents, but now I had no choice. I sat for a long time with pen in hand, unable to think of what to write, of how to say goodbye to the two people I loved more than anything in the world. When the words did come though, they came thick and fast, my pen flying across the page as my thoughts poured forth.

I explained that my natural wanderlust had returned, unexpectedly and stronger than ever. Santa Carla didn't feel like home and the holiday part of the move was over. I lied and told them I'd dipped into my trust fund and was heading out. I didn't know where but I promised to keep in touch. By the time I got to the point of saying goodbye, there were tears running down my cheeks, but I knew I had no choice in this. As long as Jari was alive, I couldn't be near my parents. I finished the letter by telling them I loved them, the only part of the entire letter that was true, and then signed my name.

I sat in the kitchen for a long while, unwilling to leave, savouring the last moments in what had in truth become my home very quickly. As the sun began to set though I felt the unnatural energy creep back into my body, and it just didn't feel right being here anymore. I went upstairs and laid the letter on my parent's bed, said my last goodbye to them and then left the house. I left the door unlocked for the workmen, counting on their honesty but not giving it much more thought, and then I set out for the hospital, praying that I'd find Edgar alive, if not quite okay.

* * * * *

"So that's it? You're just gonna split?" The anger burned clear in Edgar's eyes, along with the grief.

I'd arrived at the hospital to find Edgar very much alive. Pale but no less infuriating than usual. Once I'd told him my plan, he'd reacted rather badly.

"Alan's dead, Sam's dead and you're just gonna leave."

"That's right." I spat back, my own grief fuelling my fury. He wasn't the only one who'd cared about Sam. He'd lost his brother and damn that had to hurt but I'd lost my friend and I was not taking the blame for it. "Staying here isn't going to bring them back but if I go after Jari I've got a chance of bringing myself back to humanity."

"Great, just great. You come here, you get yourself turned, you drag me, my brother and my friend into this whole mess, get them two killed and then you go off to get yourself cured, well that's just perfect. Send me a postcard when you're human again."

I turned to go, but dragged myself back, I couldn't leave it like this. I worried our argument would cause nurses to intervene, but for the moment were alone.

"I never dragged them into it Edgar! I told them to leave it alone but this is what you all did. You fight vampires and you save Santa Carla and you go home and read comic books and pat yourselves on the back. Well I told you this was different, I told you these were stronger than any vampires you'd ever faced before and I told you all to walk away, but you didn't. Alan decided to fight and so did Sam... and so did you." My voice was quiet now, the anger burning itself out, unable to withstand the grief that pushed itself ever deeper into my heart. "I'm sorry Edgar, truly I am, I'd do anything to bring them back, but they made that decision to fight and they lost, they're gone now. All I can promise you is that if I ever run into them again, I'll do whatever I can to bring them peace."

"To kill them you mean." His anger was fading too. The situation was beyond harsh, but it was the only reality we had and we both had to come to terms with that.

"That's the only peace they'll ever find Edgar."

"And what about me? What the hell am I supposed to do? My brother's gone, my best friend's gone, my shop's gone and now you're going too. Where do I go from here?"

"Wherever you want. Wherever you need to go, go there. Do whatever you need to do in order to survive. Personally, I've got to go find Jari. I've got to find him and I've got to kill him, because that's the only way _I'll_ ever find peace. You need to find your own, whatever that may be. If you want to fight vampires, then fight them, but don't you get yourself killed because that's not peace, that's the cowards way out and you are not a coward, you've faced too much to be a coward. You ever face that fate, then you think of Alan and Sam, and you fight, because one day they're going to come back and when they do you'll have to fight them. Kill them Edgar, and find your peace in it. But until then, fight, because that's all either of us can do."

I looked at him for a few seconds more, but he didn't respond, clearly thinking on what I'd said. Then I turned away. I didn't look at him again as I left, I didn't move my eyes from the corridor, then the path, then the road. I just kept walking, hell I didn't even know where I was going but that didn't matter. Jari was out there, and he held the key to my humanity. It didn't matter how long I searched, how far I had to travel, how many people I lost along the way, one day I would find him. One day I would fight him, and when that time came, I would not hesitate, I would strike. I would be human again. I would find peace.

A/N So that's it folks, the end, well for now at least. I've started a lot of Lost Boys stories over the years and this is the only one I've managed to finish, so it'd be nice to hear what you think of it.

Right now I'm working on a Labyrinth fanfic and a Peter Pan story, so keep an eye out for those and if you've liked what you've read, head over to my profile and see if you're interested in anything else I've written.


End file.
